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Saturday 30 July 2022

Pakenham to Sorrento Pier, Ferry across to Queenscliff Harbour and Great Ocean Road to Skenes Creek via Split Point Lighthouse and Hopetoun Falls, Victoria.

Travelling back west by car and boat.
Australia, Day Fourty Five.
 
Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus).
We set off from the hotel early as we had to cover some ground today and needed to be South of Melbourne to catch a ferry, around the hotel we started the day list with Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus), Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen), Australian Raven (Corvus coronoides) and Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca).
Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus).
Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus).
As we headed South West towards Sorrento we picked up Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), Noisy Miner (Manorina melanocephala), Little Wattlebird (Anthochaera chrysoptera), Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula), Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius), Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis), Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa), Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata), Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa), Galah's (Eolophus roseicapilla) and Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina).
Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae).
We arived in the Sorrento area early so we stopped and checked out the beach, out on the sands we had the only 2 Kelp Gulls (Larus dominicanus) of my trip along with masses of Silver Gulls (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae) and 2x Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica).
Australian Gannet (Morus serrator).
We continued on to the Ferry Port adding Straw-necked Ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis) on the way and from the beach near the Ferry I had 2x Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia), more Silver Gulls and the first of a few Australian Gannets (Morus serrator) whilst Deb went and sorted out the Ferry ticket.
Australian Gannet (Morus serrator).
One we were on the Ferry I went out side and scanned the water but only managed to see lots more Gannets before we arrived on the far shore and then headed out on the Great Ocean Road West.
 Split Point Lighthouse.
From the lower view point at Split Point Lighthouse.
As we headed west we had Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles), New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae), Black Swan (Cygnus atratus), White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae) and Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides) before we had a break and a walk at Split Point Lighthouse.
Rufous Bristlebird (Dasyornis broadbenti caryochrous).
We parked and walked to the Lighthouse and then out to a couple of viewing platforms, we didn't stay long as the area was absolutly full of people / tourist but before we left we had Pacific Gull (Larus pacificus) do a fly passed, Singing Honeyeater (Gavicalis virescens) and a rare out in the open view of a Rufous Bristlebird (Dasyornis broadbenti), a species I had seen along the Coorong but this time it was subspecies caryochrous.
Renate holding me up during the climb back to the car.
Part of the walk down to Hopetoun Falls.
Hopetoun Falls.
At the View point, Hopetoun Falls.
We returned to the car and continued on South West to Skeenes Creeek where we checked into the Ocean Road Motel before going up into the mountins to Hopetoun Falls where we were hoping to some Robins but apart from Eastern Yellow Robin (Eopsaltria australis) we failed.
Swamp Wallaby (Wallabia bicolor).
We parked and walked down to the waterfalls which were worth the walk anyway, on the way we saw
White-browed Scrubwren (Sericornis frontalis), Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla), Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans), Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa), Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus), Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax) and as we drove back down to the accommodation later we saw a couple of Swamp Wallabies (Wallabia bicolor) in a roadside field.

Friday 29 July 2022

Marysville, Acheron Way, Rainforest Gallery, O'Shannassy Aqueduct Trail, Warburton, Emerald Lake Park and South to Pakenham, Victoria.

In search of Lyre's.
Australia, Day Fourty Four.
 
Australian King-Parrots (Alisterus scapularis).
We were up early to a damp and grey sky but before we had even left the accommodation good birds were s seen from the window as we had breakfast, first came several Australian King-Parrot (Alisterus scapularis) then Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen), Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca), Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina), Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans), Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae), White-browed Scrubwren (Sericornis frontalis) and Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla).
Just a small bit of the stunning woodland along the Acheron Way Road.
We left Marysville and were soon on the Acheron Way road where we had been told we stood a good chance of catching up with the elusive Superb Lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae), as we started the rain eased off so we made a couple of stops adding Eastern Whipbird (Psophodes olivaceus), Eastern Yellow Robin (Eopsaltria australis), Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus), the first of at least 4 Bassian Thrushes (Zoothera lunulata) and then Deb had our first Lyrebird which jumped up off the roadside into the scrub too fast for me to see it.
Bassian Thrush (Zoothera lunulata).
Superb Lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae) honest it is.
We continued on and after a short way I saw my first Lyrebird and by the time we reach the end of the drive we had seen 8 in total as well as a female Golden Whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis).
Tree Ferns along the Rainforest walk.
We made a stop at the Rainforest Gallery walk where we went out onto the Gallery and then did the loop walk, it was very nice but we did not add any species of bird.
More Tree Ferns.
We continued on towards Warburton but we made a stop on the way at the O'Shannassy Aqueduct Trail where we followed the water channel, we had good views of a Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus) and heard a Bell Miner (Manorina melanophrys) in the canopy up on the ridge but we did not see it, this species was to remain a heard only bird.
Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans).
Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans).
Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans).
We again returned to the car and then dropped down to Warburton for some lunch at the bakery, whilst we had a pie and cake whe had more Australian King-Parrot (Alisterus scapularis) fly over, several nicely coloured Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans) and down by the Yarra River behind the Bakery I had a small flock of Pacific Black Ducks (Anas superciliosa).
Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa).
Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae).
Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris).
Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos).
We dropped down towards Pakenham via Emerald where we visited Emerald Lake Park, during the walk around the woods and lakes we picked up Australasian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae), Little Pied (Microcarbo melanoleucos) and Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris), Australasian Darter (Anhinga novaehollandiae), Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra), Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa), Australasian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus), my one and only convincing looking Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) of the trip, Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula), Common Bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera), Grey Butcherbird (Cracticus torquatus) as well as more Crimson Rosella's, Superb Fairywrens and Laughing Kookaburra
Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans).
Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans).
Grey Butcherbird (Cracticus torquatus).
Grey Butcherbird (Cracticus torquatus).
We returned to the car and headed for the hotel in Pakenham, as we approached there were good numbers of Long-billed Corella's (Cacatua tenuirostris) so once we had checked in I went for a walk back to the area but they had moved on, however I did see Noisy Miner (Manorina melanocephala), Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) and Rainbow Lorikeets (Trichoglossus moluccanus).
Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra).

Australasian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus).
Common Bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera).
Common Bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera).
Australasian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae).
Australasian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae).
Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula) male.

Thursday 28 July 2022

Chiltern, Mount Pilot National Park and driving South to Marysville, Victoria.

A successful Morning seeing (but not photographing) target species in the woods again and later travelling South.
Australia, Day Fourty Three.
 
Yellow-tufted Honeyeater (Lichenostomus melanops).

Deb, Renate and I headed back into the Woodlands on Mount Pilot where we again parked at the Honeyeater Picnic Area and spent a while watching the open area around Cyanide Dam hoping to catch-up with some of the Parrot species we had missed yesterday.
Brown Treecreeper (Climacteris picumnus).
Black-faced Cuckooshrike (Coracina novaehollandiae).
On the way we had Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata), Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina), Brown Falcon (Falco berigora), Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen), Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula) and Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata).
Little Lorikeet (Parvipsitta pusilla).
Little Lorikeet (Parvipsitta pusilla).
Once we were by the pool we had Black-faced Cuckooshrike (Coracina novaehollandiae), Brown Treecreeper (Climacteris picumnus), Noisy Friarbird (Philemon corniculatus), Eastern Spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris), Yellow-tufted (Lichenostomus melanops), White-plumed (Ptilotula penicillata), Yellow-faced (Caligavis chrysops), Fuscous (Ptilotula fusca) and White-naped Honeyeater (Melithreptus lunatus), Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) and then two small Little Lorikeets (Parvipsitta pusilla) flew into one of the taller trees, we had good views but the photo's were abysmal.
Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor).
Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor).
We returned to the car and went for a drive out to Ballarat Road where we found Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans), Australian Raven (Corvus coronoides), Grey Shrikethrush (Colluricincla harmonica), Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus), White-winged Chough (Corcorax melanorhamphos) and ust as we were about to give up due to the mist getting worse a flock of Swift Parrots (Lathamus discolor) flew in and gave us a bit of a run around but we eventually got good views but again the photo's were pretty bad.
Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor).
Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor).
We drove out of the woods and into Chiltern to use the Loo's which as with quite a few buildings had a nice mural on the wall but this one was better than most as it was of the very rare and elusive
Regent Honeyeater (Anthochaera phrygia).
Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos).

Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos).

Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos).

From the Loo we walked up to the lake in Chiltern Park Reserve where we had views of Australasian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae), Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa), Little Pied (Microcarbo melanoleucos) and Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris), Australasian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus) and Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita).
Dark Morph Little Eagle (Hieraaetus morphnoides).
We headed West out of town and followed the motorway on the northern side for a while adding
Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes), Great White Egret (Ardea alba), Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus), Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca) and just after we went under the Railway line a soaring dark morph Little Eagle (Hieraaetus morphnoides) which bought us to a stop so we checked the trees nearby at the same time finding Crested Shrike-tit (Falcunculus frontatus) and Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides).
Yellow-billed Spoonbill (Platalea flavipes).
Female Red-rumped Parrot (Psephotus haematonotus).
We crossed the motorway and took a road which followed it on the south side for way, as we drove we passed a small dam where I had my first
Yellow-billed Spoonbill (Platalea flavipes) along with Straw-necked Ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis), Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus), Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) and White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae).
Flame Robin (Petroica phoenicea).
Flame Robin (Petroica phoenicea).
The rest of the afternoon was spent getting to Marysville, on the way we saw Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena), Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris), Scarlet (Petroica boodang) and Flame Robin (Petroica phoenicea), Yellow-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa), Galah's (Eolophus roseicapilla), Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) and White-necked Heron (Ardea pacifica).
Flame Robin (Petroica phoenicea).
We arrived in Marysville just after dark in the rain and eventually found a place to stay, this was harder than expected as we had not allowed for it still being the sking season locally.