WONDERFUL WERRIBEE!

 Yesterday I went to Werribee, the first time since it re-opened after lockdown.  I had only a couple of hours, but I clocked up 70 species and it was wonderful!

The weather forecast was for thunderstorms, so I took a raincoat, but I didn't need it.  There was some spectacular forked lightning, looking terrific with the You Yangs as a backdrop, and some very loud thunder, but very few drops of rain.  The thunder was interesting because of the reaction of the birds.  Thousands and thousands of shelduck took to the air, in response to a loud clap of thunder.  In fact none of the birds liked it at all.  A flock of sandpipers took fright in front of me, just as I was enjoying them.  I don't remember ever witnessing birds' reaction to thunder before.

I started my visit at the far end of Point Wilson Road, looking for Brolga, but there were none to be seen.  Next stop was the T-section where the shelduck put on their thunder display.  By the time I shut the gate to leave, I had a list of 41 species.  The best sightings were a Horsfield's Bushlark together with a Striated Fieldwren feeding a young bird (photographer's delight!) and a couple of cooperative Stubble Quail.  Apart from that, all the usual suspects were present:  ducks, pipits, skylarks, cormorants and Common Greenshanks.  I was ridiculously pleased to see a European Greenfinch, as I hadn't seen one for the whole of 2021.  One interesting omission from my list was a Eurasian Coot, often in big numbers here.

Next stop was the Western Lagoons where I was hoping to add crakes to my list.  I had no luck with crakes, but I did manage a magnificent White-bellied Sea-Eagle, three Blue-winged Parrots, a Brown Falcon, a scrubwren, some terns and waders and, best of all, five beautiful Brolgas.

Very pleased with my Brolgas, I drove along Beach Road to the jetty.  Here I scanned the bay for Australasian Gannets, then, successful, I drove back into the farm near Freckled Duck Rock.  It is a long time since I've seen Freckled Duck sitting on Freckled Duck Rock, but they used to be reliable, and I think the name will stick forever, with me at least.  Alas, there were no Freckled Duck yesterday.

Freckled Duck in days gone by with Freckled Ducks

I took the coast road to the bird hide, along the way adding Musk Duck and Blue-billed Duck to my list.  The tide was too far in to make visiting the bird hide worthwhile, so I continued on past Lake Borrie to Paradise Road.  I heard, but did not see, Little Grassbird.  An Australian Reed Warbler was more cooperative, flying along the road ahead of the car.  I saw just nine Pink-eared Ducks in a pond opposite Lake Borrie - the only pinkies for the day.

Just as I was leaving the farm, some Zebra Finches came to farewell me and I saw the only Whistling Kite of the day overhead (surprising omission until then).  Some Red-rumped Parrots flew into the gum trees, eager to get themselves onto my list.

There were far too many rabbits and one hare.  I was sorry I didn't see a Cape Barren Goose and I would have liked more waders.  I particularly missed avocets, but I didn't get to the Borrow Pits.  With only two hours, I did pretty well.  The Brolgas were beautiful, and I had excellent views of both the bushlark and the fieldwrens, but for me, the bird of the day was the Stubble Quail, which I hadn't seen since January 2014.  Altogether, it was a great couple of hours:  the best possible antidote to lockdown blues.