14 November 2023 Leader: Clancy Benson Jawbone Reserve sits neatly between housing and the sea … a beautifully preserved and wild piece of Williamstown.  Something natural and protective for the wildlife and birds that frequent our shoreline and salt tolerant flora.  The weather wasn’t particularly warm, and the sunshine was a rare visitor, but the rain stayed away and the wind, although present, was little more than a breeze and not too cold. All said, quite tolerable conditions for a morning walk and bird watching for the 14 birders in attendance. Group photo by Qifan Su Clancy has ..read more

It was quite humid when the cars started to arrive in the car park at the Education Centre. There was a forecast of rain so decisions were made about what to bring along in the way of shower protection. Birds were calling and flitting around in the upper canopies – it was a feast for the eyes and ears! Eighteen pairs of eyes were ready for the trek. There was quite a bit of water in the nearby swampy area adjacent to the Woori Yallock Creek. Frogs were calling too. Australasian Grebe was spotted close to the other side of the water’s edge. Little Pied Cormorant put in an appearance (see photo ..read more

The midweek outing in October took us on a 2-day adventure into Southwestern Victoria. With an afternoon walk on day 1 there was plenty of time to make the journey down to Colac where we met up at 3pm to explore the area around the lake. Local expert Adam Fry was our guide for the afternoon, and he was just as pleased as we were to welcome the change in the weather. The sunshine reflected off the mostly calm waters of the lake. The gathering group were presented with excellent views of Whiskered Terns swooping and skimming the surface of the water. Whiskered Tern. Photo by Steve Hoptroff After ..read more

23 September 2023 Leaders: Hazel and Alan Veevers Species count: 63 The excursion got off to a good start with fine sunny weather and a pair of Tawny Frogmouths nesting in their usual tree beside the carpark.  Tawny Frogmouth on nest. Photo by Eleanor DilleyTawny Frogmouth near nest. Photo by Steve Hoptroff There was plenty of activity at the main lake with five different parrot species, including Red-rumped Parrots, investigating hollows in the old stags in the water. Australian Reed-Warblers were very vocal as they flitted around in the reeds and a Little Pied Cormorant was perched near ..read more

20 September 2023 Leader: Brian Thomas Starting can often be difficult and today’s outing was no exception. Grey skies and a bothersome shower of rain as we gathered in the car park at Coolart probably qualified as an uninspiring start to the day for the 13 keen birders attending. However, our weekday group seems to have some sort of inner sunshine. The day just got better and better; the rain held off and the birds showed up. The car park yielded some early species for the bird list including Crimson Rosella, Noisy Miner, Red Wattlebird, Galah, Black-shouldered Kite, Australian Raven, and Gre ..read more

Greetings from Yellingbo It was such a memorable day on Sunday 3 September 2023. It was also Father’s Day and quite a few fathers were out bird watching. We had a lovely group of 21 which meant extra pairs of eyes!  It was quite foggy as I drove down the Beenak Road hill towards Macclesfield Road with my lights on. Descending further into the Yellingbo Nature Conservation Area brought the temperature gauge down to 6 degrees. The fog cleared away very quickly to a still, sunny day. David Ap-Thomas was our fearless leader. Expectations were high on this first Sunday of Spring. The walk comm ..read more

Greetings from Yellingbo. It was a cool, yet still morning as we arrived in the car park for the August Bird Walk at Yellingbo Nature Conservation Area. Eastern Whipbird was calling close to the car park at the Education Centre and there were many small birds flitting through the upper canopy of the nearby eucalypts. Binoculars were pointed skywards. With the promise of light rain, the intrepid and hopeful birdos took the northern track away from the parked cars. There were the usual suspects along the way. Australian Shelduck was a welcome sight at the dam along with Australasian Grebe. Jacky ..read more

26 August 2023 Leaders: Hazel and Alan Veevers Species count: 55 Major roadworks on the South Gippsland Highway meant that the Ballarto Road turn-off was closed, which led to some of the Beginners spending up to half-an-hour trying to find the entrance to the Gardens!  However, they were soon rewarded with many good sightings in perfect weather conditions.  Starting in the Stringybark Carpark it was pleasing to note the comparative absence of disruptive Noisy Miners, thus enabling other small birds to inhabit the bushland. White-naped, Yellow-faced and White-eared Honeyeate ..read more

The Western Port Survey of wetland birds commenced in 1973 and is about to reach its 50th anniversary. The survey is dependent on volunteers to do the field work. Unfortunately some team members are ageing and finding it difficult to do the surveys. So we are looking for new people, preferably younger people, to step in to ensure that the surveys continue. Some key points about the survey: It is probably the longest continuous bird survey undertaken by volunteers in Australia. The survey has provided data to enable all of Western Port to be listed as a Ramsar Site. It also provides relev ..read more

9 August 2023 Leader: Phillip West Photographs by Loh Kat Mun A cool start to a late winter morning with a promise of a warmer afternoon. A little blue sky and only a hint of wind that may or may not have picked up as the day progressed. All in all, a perfect start for our Mid-Week birding group. We gathered in the Mullum Mullum Reserve car park South of Reynolds Road…an eager group of 22…before making our way out and up to the traffic lights at Springvale Road to safely cross over to the creek trail. Besides the ubiquitous presence of Noisy Miners and Rainbow Lorikeets, the car park gave us s ..read more