WEST GATE PARK

West Gate Park

Wednesday was the only day this week when the sun promised to shine, so I decided it would be a good day to visit West Gate Park, a little oasis of greenery hiding under the West Gate Bridge in Port Melbourne. 

I'm not sure when I last visited this park.  I know I was there in May 2009; perhaps that was the last time.   I used to go there looking for crakes.  There were always several species of honeyeaters and lots of waterbirds.  I remember being bombed by Pied Stilts (that we used to call Black-winged Stilts).  And I remember seeing Singing Honeyeaters and (Roger's favourite) New Holland Honeyeaters. 

The carpark was almost empty when I arrived.  I was delighted to have the park almost to myself, and even more delighted when Superb Fairywrens came to greet me.  They certainly seemed to want to make friends.  The lake was full.  There were no muddy verges for crakes, so I reconciled myself to the fact that I'd be going home without them on my list.  I saw several White-plumed Honeyeaters but few Noisy Miners and Red Wattlebirds, putting me in a good mood as I set off to walk around the lake.  A Willie Wagtail chattered happily.  I saw only one pair of Black Swans, but they had six teenage cygnets.

I could hear Australian Reed Warblers.  Why did we change their name?  Clamorous Reed Warbler was so appropriate.  There were at least four or five reed warblers, calling from different patches of reeds.  I stood for several minutes in various different spots trying to see one, but had no luck.  I saw moorhen and coots and Chestnut Teal.  One Little Pied Cormorant flew when I thought of approaching him.

Halfway around the lake, I saw my first New Holland Honeyeater and stood to admire him.  I don't see them in Kew any more.  I heard, then saw, one Grey Fantail, like me, enjoying the sunshine.

In a short visit, I had clocked up twenty species - more than I achieved on my most recent visit to Banyule.  When I returned, there were a few more cars in the carpark, but I'd hardly been aware of any other people on my walk.  I was about to leave, when suddenly a bright green bird flew remarkably fast overhead.  Was it a Musk Lorikeet?  I tried to locate where it had gone.  Then I found it, looping around the sky.  It wasn't a bird at all.  It was a small green drone.  Can't put that on my bird list!

I can recommend West Gate Park, a pleasant spot on a weekday.  I don't think you'll see a crake, but you might luck on to an Australian Reed Warbler.  If not, like me, you'll have to be satisfied with a New Holland Honeyeater.