Lyrebird Tales

Volume 29 Number 3 September 2020 BirdLife Yarra Valley Newsletter

A Birdwatching Highlight by John Barkla

Like most Melburnians, my current reality is I am living with restrictions imposed by a tiresome virus. To raise your spirits, I would like to relay two experiences which occurred before the current lockdown.

The first was in May, when, in my role as Chair of BCAC (the Biodiversity Conservation Advisory Committee for Melbourne Water’s Western Treatment Plant), I was inspecting the conservation areas in the plant. The plant was closed and access could only be gained by completing a detailed TRA (Task Risk Assessment) and observing strict biosecurity measures for COVID. For security, I was requested to take someone with me and had no trouble convincing my partner Alison to come too.

Driving around the Plant, I spotted a group of four Orange- Orange-bellied Parrot photo © John Barkla bellied Parrots on a roadside about 100 metres away. Exercising extreme care not to flush them, I stopped the car After the photos were processed, all four birds could be and climbed down onto the road to try to establish whether identified by reference to the colour of their leg bands and they were carrying leg bands which might identify them. the letter visible on each one. The photos and band details With the four birds under observation, I did not move for were forwarded to the OBP Recovery team. They later over an hour as the birds quietly fed. To suggest it was cool, reported back to me that one bird had not been seen since would be an understatement! During the entire time, the August 2019. It was not known to be on the Plant over birds were together, either stationary, or slowly walking summer and was not seen on the Tasmanian breeding towards me. With the light failing around 5pm, they had all grounds. Where it was is a mystery. Continued on page 2 moved to about 2.5 metres from me. Something I did not see caused them to flush and they flew back to roughly where they were first seen. With over 400 photos taken and past my intended departure time, I climbed back in the car Contents and we drove home. 1 - 2. A Birdwatching Highlight by John Barkla

2. Committee. Whose Footprints and What Bird is That?

Perils of a Pigeon Fancier by Dick Wellington.

3. A stoush between Magpies by Dace Fitton A Sad Tale by Dick Wellington. Interesting Sightings. 4 - 6. Lake Mountain Surveys. 6. Mistletoebird spreading seeds by Manfred Hennig

7 – 9. Nest Boxes for birds and Wildlife by Valerie Fowler 9. Vale Maureen Bond. 10.Outing to Pound Bend Reserve by Michael Feller and photos by Peter Birtles

11. Walk from Wandin by Warren Cousins Orange-bellied Parrot photo © John Barkla 12. Changes to our routine.

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Whose footprint? What bird is that?

Orange-bellied Parrots photo © John Barkla

The second experience was a month later. When trying to relocate them, we found four parrots in the same general area as before and naturally assumed that they were the same birds, given their rarity. After processing the new photos I found: Photos © Manfred Hennig. Answers on page 9 • I had only managed to get leg band details for two of the birds, not all four as last time; and

• Of the two I got band details for, one was in the first group, but the other was not. BirdLife Australia Yarra Valley Branch So, a new bird! Once again, the Orange-bellied Recovery P.O. Box 1172, Healesville Vic. 3777 Team was notified and copies of my photos forwarded. email: [email protected]

Committee

Convener: Warren Cousins

Deputy-Convener: Manfred Hennig

Secretary: Alma Mitchell

Treasurer: Michael Feller

Conservation Officer: Michael Feller Orange-bellied Parrot photo © John Barkla Other Members: Jan Llewelyn. Doug Pocock A final observation. I have seen many OBPs (certainly hundreds) over my lifetime, but I have rarely seen them drinking (perhaps a few times only). I have always assumed this was because they get all of the water they need from the Perils of the Pigeon Fancier by Dick Wellington samphire plants they eat. When we had the second group The pigeon fancier who we see, usually about every second under observation, two of the four birds left the group and or third day when we go that way, has been losing a bird or flew to the edge of a sewage treatment lagoon. Suspicious, I two every time we talk to him although his flock never seems crawled to the edge and peered over the vegetation to see to go down much. At present he lets the birds fly in two one bird was drinking. The other may have been too, but it separate events, divided by their sex as the males only want was obscured. I fired off some photos which I added to my to mate with the females if they can get together. He showed website. If you would like to see them, you can find them us a damaged bird, last time we were there, that had been here - attacked around its belly but was able to escape. He knows https://www.thewonderfulworldofbirds.com/Countries/Austr Margaret and I are bird lovers but apparently doesn't hold alia/i-m3ZPhQf/A that against us. His loft is on Mt Dandenong road, Kilsyth and All terribly exciting for this critically endangered bird. Recent he is there most mornings exercising and feeding the birds reports suggest that with the help of captive breeding, they which takes a couple of hours to do. may be making something of a comeback. I hope so. I also We were talking to Paul, the pigeon fancier, yesterday hope the Western Treatment Plant will be re-opened soon. morning and he said he had lost about 28 pigeons over the John Barkla last couple of months, and he attributes all to the Peregrines.

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Interesting sightings

25/5/20 & 16/6/20 Brown Falcon (light morph) – Yarra Glen, Jim McMinn

12/6/20 and 23/6/20 Barking Owl calling (first time in 8 years) – Chum Creek, Michael Feller

14/6/20 Australian Shelduck (2) – Yarra Glen, P & V Fowler

14/6/20 Black Swans (2) – Yarra Glen, P & V Fowler

14/6/20 Australian Hobby – Yarra Glen/Yering, P & V Fowler

15/6/20 Black-shouldered Kite – Yering, Jim McMinn

15/6/20 Grey Goshawk (white morph) – Yarra Glenn, Jim McMinn

16/6/20 Brown Falcon (light morph) – Yering, Jim McMinn

20/6/20 Brown Falcons (pair) seen regularly – Yarra Glen, V & P Fowler Brown Falcon, Steels Creek photo © Sharyne Doensen 20/6/20 Whistling Kite (last seen at site 12 months before) – Lillydale Lake, Warren Cousins A ‘stoush’ between some Magpies 21/7/20 Masked Lapwing chick first day from nest – by Dace Fitton Mooroolbark, V & P Fowler We were packing up the van, getting ready to leave Mildura 24/7/20 Pied Currawongs (flock of 50+) – Mooroolbark, V & P when about five Magpies and one young Pied Butcherbird Fowler landed. One Magpie swiftly picked up a bread crust. Immediately one of the other Magpies sat heavily on its legs, 30/7/20 Brown Falcon - at Yering, Manfred Hennig pinning it firmly to the ground, while another Magpie began 4/8/20 Wedge-tailed Eagle – Mooroolbark, V & P Fowler tugging at the bread crust; a real team effort! The other Magpies and the Pied Butcherbird looked on. A struggle Early August, Cattle Egrets, Salvation Army Centre, Sheffield ensued and eventually the bread was extracted. To add insult Road, The Basin. Peter Mitchell. to injury, the bird on the ground was pecked and feathers 8/8/20 Blue-billed Ducks (2) amongst other waterfowl - flew, until finally the pinned Magpie made an undignified and Purple Swamphen (approximately 33 ), Wood Ducks (40+), ungainly escape. Black Ducks (10), Masked Lapwings (4), Australasian Grebe I could see that the attack was immediate and well planned – (1), Hoary-headed Grebe (1). The Purple Swamphens were very clever. I was glad that the Magpie who found the crust picking up fallen spikey chestnuts and taking them to the got away with the loss of only a few feathers and the attack dam to eat, away from the trees - at a farm dam in Toolangi, did not last long. Manfred Hennig

White-faced Herons (4) seemed to have made themselves at A Sad Tale by Dick Wellington home on our property – Toolangi, Manfred Hennig The day before yesterday (Aug 7, 2020), from our kitchen Out of the Yarra Valley window, we were able to watch a pair of Masked Lapwings protecting their newborn chick. One bird was squatting over 10/6/20 White-bellied Sea Eagle (2), Whistling Kite, Pelican the chick on the concrete verandah of our nursing hostel and Little Pied Cormorant – Colier Arm of Lake Eildon, while the other hovered overhead. I worried that the birds Michael Feller were in a precarious position but couldn't access them because of our lockdown conditions so left them hoping to try and sort something yesterday morning. Of course, Friday night’s weather was absolutely atrocious with constant rain and wind and by yesterday it seemed obvious that the chick had not survived the night as the two adult birds reverted to their normal activities of grazing out on our lawns in the village and it's very obvious there's no chick now. Another exhibition of nature at its worst. We started monitoring a newborn Masked Lapwing chick on 1/7/20. It disappeared after 3 days after a Masked Lapwing chick photo © Peter Fowler large flock of Pied Currawongs arrived.

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Lake Mountain bird surveys. Warren initially produced this chart, but the editor has modified the original to fit the

magazine. Note: bird surveys did not count individual numbers in each species.

LAKE MOUNTAIN

8.2.03 9.2.08

14.3.98 13.3.99 28.2.01 21.4.04 11.2.06 12.4.14 TOTAL 25.10.17 Common Bird Names 13.11.10

Pacific Black Duck 1 1 Common Bronzewing 1 1 1 White-necked Heron 1 1 Brown Goshawk 1 1 Wedge-tailed Eagle 1 1 1 Barking Owl 1 1 Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo 1 1 1 Gang-gang Cockatoo 1 1 1 1 1 Australian King Parrot 1 1 Crimson Rosella 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Superb Lyrebird 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Pilotbird 1 1 1 1 1 1 Laughing Kookaburra 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 White-throated Treecreeper 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Red-browed Treecreeper 1 1 1 Superb Fairy-wren 1 1 1 1 1 Chestnut-Rumped Heathwren 1 1 1 1 Brown Thornbill 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Striated Thornbill 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 White-browed Scrubwren 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Spotted Pardalote 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Striated Pardalote 1 1 1 1 1 1 Red Wattlebird 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Brown-headed Honeyeater 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Crescent Honeyeater 1 1 1 1 New Holland Honeyeater 1 1 Lewin's Honeyeater 1 1 1 1 1 1 White-eared Honeyeater 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 White-plumed Honeyeater 1 1 Yellow-faced Honeyeater 1 1 1 1 1 Eastern Spinebill 1 1 1 1 1 1 Varied Sittella 1 1 Brush Cuckoo 1 1 Fan-tailed Cuckoo 1 1 1 1 Shining Bronze-Cuckoo 1 1 1 Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike 1 1 1 1 1 1 Golden Whistler 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

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LAKE MOUNTAIN

8.2.03 9.2.08

14.3.98 13.3.99 28.2.01 21.4.04 11.2.06 12.4.14 TOTAL 25.10.17 Common Bird Names 13.11.10

Olive Whistler 1 1 1 1 1 1

Rufous Whistler 1 1

Grey Shrike-thrush 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Bassian Thrush 1 1 1 1 Eastern Whipbird 1 1 1 1 Australian Magpie 1 1 1 1 Pied Currawong 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Grey Currawong 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Grey Fantail 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rufous Fantail 1 1 1 Australian Raven 1 1 1 1 1 Little Raven 1 1 Satin Bowerbird 1 1 Eastern Yellow Robin 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Pink Robin 1 1 1 1 Rose Robin 1 1 1 Red-Capped Robin 1 1 Flame Robin 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Scarlet Robin 1 1 1 1 Silvereye 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Welcome Swallow 1 1 1 White-throated Needletail 1 1 1 1 Australasian Pipit 1 1 Common Blackbird 1 1 1 1 European Goldfinch 1 1

Total Species 35 30 32 32 26 23 24 23 22 29 62

average 28

Bryce Ponsford was currently working on Lake Mountain with the Southern Alpine Resort Board and listing birds throughout the resort area. He contacted BirdLife Yarra Valley Convener Warren Cousins regarding data collected on bird surveys at Lake Mountain. Alma Mitchell produced all the surveys participated in by the branch since the beginning in 1998. Warren then prepared the above material for him that shows an overall species count of 62 over the past 20 years.

Warren noted that the key highlights are: Average species numbers over the 20 years is only moderate at 28.

However, the earliest 5 surveys averaged 31 birds, and the most recent 5 surveys only showed 24. A significant decline unfortunately. Over all the surveys, the total bird species seen amounts to 61.

Birds regularly seen in almost all surveys were:

Crimson Rosella, Superb Lyrebird, White-throated Treecreeper, Brown Thornbill, White-browed Scrubwren, Red Wattlebird, White-eared Honeyeater, Golden Whistler, Grey Shrike-Thrush. Pied and Grey Currawongs, Grey Fantail, Flame Robin, Silvereye.

Bryce Ponsford was interested to note the average decline in bird species numbers (since early survey work up until 2017) from 31 to 24! He also reported apart from the BirdLife Yarra Valley Statistics, he had also been able to access Bird Checklist details from Museum Victoria (MV) up until 2018. Overall, similar species' numbers have been recorded, however BYV

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fortunately recorded an additional 12 species (not listed by MV), bringing the total number of species to date to 74 instead of 62!

Bryce also added that the greater number of bird species are observed during the warmer months of the year (Oct - April). He broadly categorised the total number of species into the following categories:

Residents: (All year) 28

Migrants: (Oct-April) 41

Nomads: (Diurnal BOP) 5

Total: 74

August 6, 2020 update for birdwatchers and skiers stuck in Covid-19 stage 4 lockdown. Bryce commented that birdlife on Lake Mountain now is a little light on due to very heavy snowfalls over the past couple of days. Up to half a metre in parts!!

Despite the above, spring is not too far away. Trees are already bursting forth with new growth and male Satin Bowerbirds are actively engaged in bower construction and courting behaviour!

Ed: Hope we can go and enjoy Lake Mountain in the near future.

Mistletoebird spreading seeds by Manfred Hennig

1. Mistletoebird starting to poop © Manfred Hennig 2. Poop containing seed © Manfred Hennig

3. Scraping poop on branch © Manfred Hennig 4. Seed in poop attached to a branch © Manfred Hennig

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Nest Boxes for birds and wildlife harsh and drier whilst the southern side is cooler and moister being protected from the hot dry north wind. A BirdLife Yarra Valley conservation project in early 2020 was to donate several bird nest boxes and have them installed on a property in the Yarra Valley. This project was financed using money from sales of Peter Mason’s book ‘Birds of the Yarra Catchment’.

Manfred approached Toolangi Men’s Shed to manufacture nest boxes in two different sizes. They agreed to make eight nest boxes using plans from the Gould group and Mc Nabb and Greenwood. The nest boxes were made of wood with hinged flaps to enable easy cleaning after use and painted in olive green so that they would blend unobtrusively into the background. The nest box sizes were:

⬧ Two large nest boxes sized 88 x 560 x 560, with a 21cm entrance hole, weighing 31kg each.

⬧ Six small nest boxes measuring 50cm high x 20cm x 20cm, with an 8cm entrance hole, weighing 6kg Wooded area photo © V. Fowler each. Paul and Julie’s property supports a wide variety of bird The professionally made nest boxes took a total of 79 hours species that includes Wedge-tailed Eagle, Brown Goshawk, to finish; many thanks go to Manfred, Ernst, Jack and Angus Fan-tailed and Shining Bronze Cuckoo, Common Bronzewing, from Toolangi Men’s Shed. several species of Honeyeaters including Lewin’s Honeyeater, BirdLife Yarra Valley has enjoyed visiting and surveying birds White-throated and Red-browed Tree-creepers. Bird surveys on Paul and Julie’s wonderful property at Badger Creek since on the property were 10/2/96 = 30 species, 10/8/02 = 30 the inception of the branch more than 25 years ago. Paul and species, 24/10/05 = 32 species, 10/1/09 = 31 species, Julie have been very generous inviting us to celebrate 14/1/12 = 29 species, 14/12/14 = 28 species, 13/1/18 = 33 ‘breakfast with the birds’ and ‘Christmas break up’ on their species. The surveys produced an average of 30 bird species. property as well as for numerous daily outings. Therefore, Paul and Julie have heard Powerful Owls calling several times Paul and Julie were an obvious choice to approach with the over the years and scats collected on the property confirm idea to install some nest boxes on their property. Paul and they have been present. Julie consulted with Trust for Nature which was supportive of the idea; BirdLife Yarra Valley committee was pleased when they agreed.

Hyacinth Orchid photo © V. Fowler

Wildlife occasionally observed on the property includes Wombats, Echidnas, Bandicoots, Swamp Wallabies, Possums, Bush Rats, Antechinus, Sugar Gliders and a Feather-tailed View to Mt Toole-be-wong in summer © V.Fowler Glider. The property supports several different species of Paul and Julie’s property covers 20 hectares with a section of Eucalyptus, Wild Orchids and many other native plants. the property, a secluded creek included in a covenant, In February 2020 a local arbourist was hired to install the affording permanent protection. The property is near Mt nest boxes on Paul and Julie’s property. He selected the trees Toole-be-wong on a spur that runs east to west creating two where the boxes were to be installed suggesting that the different microclimates. The northern slope is somewhat location should be where they can be easily monitored.

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Paul’s tractor was loaded with the smaller nest boxes and Nest box number 2 photo © Valerie Fowler tree climbing equipment and driven along a track near the creek. The arbourist selected the first tree one surrounded by an undergrowth of tree ferns and the nest box placed facing west.

The third and fourth nest boxes were attached to trees adjacent to the main track to the house in two different species of trees to allow easy monitoring. The third nest box, Eastern Spinebill photo © Valerie Fowler whilst being fastened to a Blackwood tree required some The second tree for a nest box was on the opposite side of difficult climbing due to thick undergrowth. A curious the track closer to the creek; an Eastern Spinebill came to Laughing Kookaburra observed the placement of last nest investigate and hung around observing the proceedings. We box for the day. Observers found a frog and a dragonfly near heard the calls of the Eastern Yellow Robin, Spotted by. Pardalotes and White-browed Scrubwren whilst a small flock of Thornbills moved through the undergrowth.

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Vale Maureen Bond

by Evelyn and Michael Feller

The environmental movement and the flora and fauna of the Yarra Valley around Healesville recently lost one of their strongest advocates with the recent passing of Maureen Bond.

For 25 years Maureen was the organizer of many of the revegetation projects that restored the health of the Grace Burn and Watts River in Queen and Coronation Parks so that platypus and many other species could thrive there. This involved coordinating with school children, their teachers, private companies, and Melbourne Water and Yarra Ranges Council Bushland team staff the planting of over 2000 Laughing Kookaburra photo © Valerie Fowler seedlings every year. Maureen’s organizational skills always ensured the event was successful and enjoyable. Only the lockdown stopped this year’s event.

However, this was only a small part of the contribution Maureen made to protecting our environment and to the Yarra Ranges Community. Maureen took on a virtually full- time volunteer job as an environmental advocate. As Healesville Environment Watch Inc (HEWI) secretary, she ran an office two days a week organizing events, responding to community inquiries, producing a newsletter, writing letters, submissions and funding applications.

Maureen was a strong believer in the value of community education and was a very proficient botanist. She organised nature walks over the years focusing on orchids, fungi, wildlife at night and successful habitat restoration. She Dragonfly photo © Valerie Fowler organized many film nights and fundraisers at the Memo and co-organised with Birdlife Yarra Valley the showing of the film on the plight of the Orange-bellied Parrot. Engaging students was very important and students at Healesville Primary learned the important connection between the waterbugs they saw in one activity with the planting they did along the waterways the following year.

Many hours of Maureen’s time were spent reviewing planning documents and draft policies from all levels of government. She carefully reviewed council agendas and minutes to be aware of what plans were imminent for the shire. She was delighted when the Friends of Leadbeater’s won their recent court case. All that fundraising effort was worth it. She was a strong advocate of community engagement and networking and meetings of Friends and Environmental Groups to learn Large nest boxes photo © Valerie Fowler and share ideas. She was also an active participant in the Mammal Survey group and the Greens party and involved Unfortunately, there was not enough time to complete herself in many community activities. putting up the remaining nest boxes and extra equipment was required to put up the two largest boxes. Her energy and dedication to protecting and restoring our natural environment and her ability to ask the key questions BirdLife Yarra Valley planned to complete the project but the will be missed. arbourist was unavailable or the wet weather forced cancellation. Of course, after that Covid-19 put a stop to the project. Answer to what bird is that? Valerie Fowler Juvenile female Collared Sparrow Hawk Answer to whose footprints…Superb Lyrebird

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Outing to Pound Bend Reserve, 13 June, 2020 Pound Bend Reserve photos

by Peter Birtles

Birdlife Yarra Valley’s first post-COVID-19 lockdown outing was restricted to 10 happy participants who enjoyed pleasant but cool, cloudy conditions in a very attractive area, not inundated with people. The sun threatened to come out, but never quite made it. The cool conditions, coupled with the overwhelming presence around the parking area of the bird community’s greatest bullies – Rainbow Lorikeets – probably contributed to the relative lack of other birds there, although a few Galahs, Red Wattlebirds, and Noisy Miners tolerated the bullies.

Leaving the parking area, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos became dominant, but a few Brown Thornbills, Striated Thornbills, Superb Fairy-Wrens, Spotted Pardalotes, an Australian King Parrot, a Crimson Rosella, and a pair of Eastern Yellow Robins added variety. A bird high in a tree was identified by Geoff as a Noisy Miner, but when the bird turned his head, he was clearly a Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike. Geoff redeemed himself a few minutes later, however, when he spotted a Little Pied Cormorant photo © Peter Birtles Tawny Frogmouth quite close to the walking track. Australian Magpie and Grey Shrike-thrush calls were heard. A Little Pied Cormorant posed on a branch above the Yarra. An Australasian Darter, a Dusky Moorhen, and some Australian Wood Ducks completed the aquatic bird contingent.

Heading up the track away from the Yarra, the Manna Gums gave way to drier box – stringybark forest and fewer birds, but several Welcome Swallows. We followed the track up to and across the main road, following it beside the road back to the reserve road turnoff. Highlights along this section were a pair of quite visible Golden Whistlers and the calls of Fan- tailed Cuckoos. Pied Currawong, Little Raven, and Grey Butcherbird calls were also heard.

We descended the track down to the tunnel outlet where another Little Pied Cormorant was seen. The track beside the Yarra back to the carpark yielded no new birds, so it was time for a socially isolated lunch, the group spread out in a wide circle, guarding lunches against keen-eyed marauding Laughing Kookaburras. A total of 26 species was recorded. King Parrots photo © Peter Birtles Michael Feller

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In June, a small group of four met at the Wandin rail trail ______station on a cool but mostly sunny Friday morning. This was an informal catchup and we had a real treat at the outset when Doug and Jan escorted us to a nearby tree where we had wonderful views of a pair of stunning Tawny Frogmouths. This was a special sighting and hopefully Michael's photos have captured the moment.

We initially headed toward Mt Evelyn with good views of delightful Spinebills and King Parrots, plus an abundance of Pied Currawongs. Further along we got White-eared, White- naped and New Holland Honeyeaters. The expected presence of many Bell Miners was evident, and we had a quick glimpse of a Yellow Robin that vindicated Doug's predictions. Before coming into Mt Evelyn we did an about turn, and came back via the Graham Colling Reserve and Mt Evelyn Pony Club. We finally caught up with a small family of Superb Fairy-wrens which had been elusive up to that point. Also heard but not seen was a White-throated Treecreeper.

After a relaxing three hour stroll we arrived back at the start point and had a quick lunch in the front garden of Doug and Jan's property. No shortage of birds there, and we had very close views of a Little Wattlebird plus lots of other small birds. I don't see the Little Wattlebirds too often in Lilydale, but Doug mentioned they were quite common at their place. Our final tally was 28 species. Tawny Frogmouth photo Michael Feller Warren Cousins

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Changes to our routine during Covid-19 Stage 4 Lockdown

Can you name all the birds? Photo © Manfred Hennig Please exercise but also take some time to relax in the sun. Are you missing travelling interstate or going birdwatching locally? Silly question! I bet you are missing socialising and having a cuppa with your friends.

Crested Pigeon photo © Valerie Fowler BirdLife Yarra Valley members will be Coffee with a swan pattern on top at a Ballarat café notified when outings and meetings Birds in top photo: Australian Pelicans, Royal Spoonbills, resume. Australasian Darter, Little Black Cormorants, White-headed Stilts, Silver Gull, Plumed Whistling Ducks, Pacific Black Duck & Chestnut Teals.

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