Sound Recordings
Eden
- White-capped Albatross
Over the last couple of years we have had some interesting birding trips around the Eden area. On a couple of visits we have been lucky enough to be invited on boat trip to view birds and other marine life. On one trip we made it out to the pelagic zone where we saw Wandering Albatross, Yellow-nosed Albatross, Black-browed Albatross, Shy Albatross, Fairy Prion, Wilsons Storm Petrel, Grey-faced Petrel, White-chinned Petrel and Northern Giant-Petrel. Short-tailed Shearwater and Wedge-tailed Shearwater were also seen on the way out. On shore were Black-faced Cormorants and a White-bellied Sea-Eagle at the jetty.
This year we spent more time closer to the shore, fewer bird species were seen but we saw shearwaters in the hundreds fishing around huge schools of whitebait. When approaching the whitebait to view the birds Humpback Whales were spotted, we were privileged to see the whales feeding by opening their mouths and gulping down thousands of whitebait at a time. We also had pods of common dolphin swimming and leaping up along side the boat.
If you can't make it onto a boat trip then albatross and shearwaters can also be seen from the coast near the Green Cape Lighthouse. From here we have taken walks into the coastal scrub and heathlands and have seen Tawny-crowned Honeyeater and Beautiful Firetail, and on one occasion there were twenty or more Eastern Whipbirds.
Some interesting birds can also be seen around the township. We saw a White morph Grey Goshawk flying around the cliffs in Yallumgo Cove, a White-headed pigeon and an Australian Figbird in a garden on Imlay Street. Friends of ours previously told us they had seen a Chanel-billed Cuckoo in the park on Bramble Street.
At Lake Curalo we have seen Southern Emu-wren in the grass on the southern edge of the lake, Scarlet Honeyeater, Yellow-tailed Black- Cockatoo, Eastern Whipbird, Satin Bowerbird from the board walk, and on the lake Eastern Curlew, Eastern Reef Egret and Bar-tailed Godwit.
When driving back to Melbourne from Eden, Maxwell's Flora reserve is worth a visit. One trip we saw a small flock of Topknot Pigeon, Wonga Pigeon, a Rose Robin and Lewins Honeyeater on this walk. You can access the walk via Maxwells Road, off the Princess Hwy.