Birds of the Yarra Valley, Ivanhoe, Victoria by Mrs

March Birds of the Yarra Valley 151 1976 ] proached fairly closely in the car before it was disturbed, when it again flew south away from the creek and disappeared. An inspec tion of the nest showed that further leaves had been added since our last visit, probably at least a week previously. Leaving the nest I drove west about one kilometre where once again I observed a buzzard perched in a dead red gum. This time it flew north across the creek and was immediately hidden from view. We again returned to the partially lined nest and I commenced a thorough search eastward along the creek. I had only gone about 1OOm when I heard a rush of wings and saw a buzzard rising from quite close by. On this occasion I had not actually seen the bird perched, but had no doubt that it had risen from within a tree. After rejoining my father we drove west along the creek and while passing a point not far from our original sighting we saw a large dark bird perched in a red gum near the creek some distance from our track. We approached quietly on foot with the intention of trying to photograph the perching bird. We couldn't get very close before it took off but one photograph taken with a 400m lens identi fied it as a perching Black-breasted Buzzard. On December 7, my father and brother returned to Marrapinna to photograph a Little Falcon, Falco longipennis, with three young which we had discovered on our previous visit. On this occasion there was no sign of the buzzard despite a thorough search. Just why the buzzard ceased nesting activity is not known. Con ditions were ideal following the heavy winter rains, with an abun dance of rabbits and, presumably, other prey. Raptores were present in good number. Fork-tailed Kites were common and nesting. Collared Sparrowhawks, Brown Goshawks, Little Falcons and Whistling Kites were also nesting; present were Black-shouldered Kites, Brown Falcons, Wedge-tailed Eagles, Kestrels, a Little Eagle and a Spotted Harrier. On the two occasions I inspected the buz zard's nest with a nest-check mirror, disturbance was minimal. Possibly one bird of the pair may have been killed and all sightings could have been of the same bird. The most disturbing suggestion came from the owner of Marrapinna. He told me that he suspected that one or two egg collectors have been infiltrating the growing number of genuine bird-watchers visiting his station. The Black breasted Buzzard is a strikingly magnificent bird and it would be disgraceful indeed if this southerly extension of the breeding area were jeopardized by one selfish individual. Birds of the Yarra Valley, Ivanhoe, Victoria By Mrs. A.M. FLEMING, Ivanhoe, Victoria. INTRODUCTION: This paper gives an account of the status of bird species in the Wilson Reserve and Chelsworth Park, Ivanhoe, in the Melbourne Metropolitan area. Observations were made between January, 1970, and June, 1975. The two parks lie on the floodplain of the north bank of the Yarra, roughly halfway between Burke Road Bridge and the mouth Bird 152 FLEMING [ Watcher of Darebin Creek. Park entrances are in the Boulevard and Irvine Road. HABITAT: Before White settlement, the Yarra Valley floodplain was full of swamps and billabongs in river woodland and swampy heath. Almost all of this habitat has disappeared but a small remnant survives in this area. The following habitat types are found: 1. River Woodland dominated by River Red Gum, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, with an understorey of Silver Wattle, Acacia deal bata, Tree Violet, Hymenanthera dentata, Coprosma quadrifida, andBottlebrush, Callistemon paludosus. A few clumps of Melaleuca persist, and such exotics as Weeping Willows, Sallows, Hawthorns, and Golden Poplars have been planted. No native ground cover is to be found; instead there is an infestation of Wandering Jew, Tradescantia sp. and Jerusalem Cherry, Solanum pseudocapsicum, where the ground has been disturbed by illegal worm digging. There are dense growths of Blackberries. 2. Ponds and Billabongs. The main billabong (a cut-off bend of the river) is virtually permanent, though it came close to drying up in January, 197 3, during a severe drought. It is fed by the Irvine Street drain (once a creek); when full it overflows into the river. Other ponds and billabongs are temporary; they must rely on floods to fill them and in long dry spells they dry up completely. The billa bongs support a number of reedbeds of Common Reed, Phragmites communis, Cumbungi, Eleocharis sp. and Bullrush, Typho angustifolia. 3. Rough grassland, left unmown with tall weeds such as Docks and Thistles. 4. Parkland: Sportsfields, golf courses and adjacent suburban gardens; mown grass with scattered native an exotic trees. Probably now the most widespread habitat in the metropolitan Yarra Valley. HISTORY OF THE AREA: The two parks originally formed part of a cattle property, the "Chelsworth" estate, from about 1840 on. In 1923, the area be tween the plan lines of Russell and Marshall Streets was offered for subdivision, but thanks to the efforts of Messrs. Wilson, Eiseman and Bailey, was acquired by public subscription and presented to the City of Heidelberg. Despite river pollution, its sandy beach re mains a popular bathing spot. The adjacent land upstream remained a dairy farm until 194 7 when it was acquired by the Heidelberg City Council. Some swamps were filled and drained in the course of the construction of the Ivanhoe Public Golf Course and the oval and sportsfields, but the main billabong remained. ( 1 ) It is hard to overstress its importance, now that so many others have been filled with rubbish; it attracts many of the birds which fly along the river valley, particularly in times of drought. Together, the Wilson Reserve and Chelsworth March ] Birds of the Yarra Valley 153 1976 Park offer about 29 hectares of varied habitat, only 9 kilometres from Melbourne's city centre. SPECIES LIST: 1. Black Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo. Single birds and pairs are seen flying along the valley. During the 1972-1973 drought one stayed all summer at the billabong. 2. Little Black Cormorant, P. sulcirostris. Occasional flocks (up to 20 birds) seen flying along the valley. About 10 birds visited the billabong on May 18, 197 5 but were very nervous. 3. Little Pied Cormorant, P. melanoleucos. Common resident, be tween two and six birds. 4. Little Grebe, Podiceps novaehollandiae. Occasional autumn and winter visitor. One very tame bird on billabong, April-June 1975; it began to show traces of breeding plumage about June 22. 5. White-necked Heron, Ardea pacifica. A visitor in dry seasons. One bird spent the winter in 1972; a pair divided their time between the billabong and nearby Rockbeare Park from January to June, 1975. 6. White-faced Heron, A. novaehollandiae. At least one pair is resident and breeds regularly. On November 25, 1973 a nest with four young birds was found thirty feet up in a Red Gum; three days later they had flown and two were feeding with one adult in a nearby shallow pond. As many as sixteen birds may feed together on the parklands in winter. 7. White Egret, Egretta alba. A dry season visitor. One spent winter and spring in 1972 but was not seen after late December. A pair seen regularly, March-June, 1975. 8. Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis. One bird with Little Pied Cormorants and a White Egret, June 1, 1975 and June 4, 1975. Its presence was suprising as no stock is kept anywhere closer than Burke Road Bridge. 9. Nankeen Night Heron, Nycticorax caledonicus. A roost was found on November 19, 1972 at the secluded east end of the billa bong. Up to thirty birds stayed till the drought broke in early February 1973 with heavy rain and flooding; they then dispersed. Since then the roost has been frequented by about eight birds in summer and autumn. 10. White Ibis, Threskiornis molucca. In May-July, 1970, a large flock fed regularly on the wet sportsfields; up to 50 birds were seen. In winter, 1971, they came only in groups of five and six. In the drought a couple of birds came in November and December, 1972, but in more recent wet winters none have been seen as they were presumably taking advantage of favourable conditions inland. In May-June, 1975, a couple were seen, after the driest summer and autumn in Melbourne for nineteen years; on June 13, 27 birds were feeding on the hockey field. 11. Straw-necked Ibis, T. spinicollis. Six birds accompanied the White Ibis flock once or twice in July, 1970. 12. Royal Spoonbill, Platalea regia. In November, 1972, a single bird was seen twice; at the same period one was regularly seen at Bird 154 FLEMING [ Watcher Rockbeare Park where it made a 'squat' in the reeds. (L. Course, pers. comm.) 13. Yellow-billed Spoonbill, P. flavipes. One bird with flock of White Ibis, December 6, 1970. March-May, 1975, two birds regu larly at or near the billabong. 14. Black Swan, Cygnus atratus. Once common along the river, according to local residents, but now only an occasional visitor. (In winter, 1970, a pair bred at Warringal Park, Heidelberg.) Usually seen flying at a good height above the valleys of the Darebin Creek or the Yarra. One seen on the river, December 23, 1972. 15. Black Duck, Anas superciliosa. Very common breeding resident. Nests in hollow trees on the banks. On December 22, 1970, a duck was seen leading a clutch of eight fluffy ducklings to the water; the procession resembled a long furry scarf trailed along the ground.

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