Urban Birder

Central Victoria

Melbourne and Surrounding areas

Yarra Bend Park

Posted December 26th, 2009 by nicole
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After the rush of Christmas I decided to have a quiet Boxing Day bird watching along the banks of the Yarra in Yarra Bend Park .

I began my walk in Yarra Bend Park at Dights Falls Park. I sat for a while in the Koori Garden and watched a Great Cormorant fishing at the base of the falls, Australian Reed-warbler could be heard calling from the reeds on the opposite side. I walked along the Capital City Trail, there weren't many interesting birds to be seen along this stretch but I did find a flock of Brown Thornbills, some Superb Fairywren, on the river were Pacific Black Duck and Dusky Moorhen.

View over the Yarra RiverView over the Yarra River

I crossed the river at Johnson Street Bridge and took the unpaved path which follows the other side of the river. I expected to see more birds in this area although it was still very quiet bird wise, I did see a Kookaburra, a Grey Butcherbird and at one point a Nankeen Night Heron flew high over the river. I climbed a steep section of the path to reach the Yarra Boulevard. This section of the road is closed to traffic and is frequently used by cyclists. A monument sits at the highest point which provides a fantastic view over the river and the park, Spotted Pardalote were calling in the Eucalypts bordering the monument.

I walked along the Yarra Boulevard towards Galatea Point, and found a small flock of Dusky Woodswallows diving down to catch insects along the roadside, as I watched them I spied a Grey Currawong stealthily and quietly moving through the scrub. Tawny FrogmouthsTawny FrogmouthsThings got better from here on. Near the top of Galatea Point a Sacred Kingfisher was perched in a tree, an adult and juvenile Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike flew through making beautiful chirring calls. ]I took the path towards Galatea Point and was a little disappointed to see that most of the area was dominated by Noisy Miners but was pleased to find a pair of Tawny Frogmouth in a tree above the point in the river. I continued along the path and caught the bus home from Studley park road.
Yarra Bend Park has a lovely feeling of isolation for a park so close to the city.

Species list

100 Acres Park

Posted December 20th, 2009 by nicole
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We visited 100 Acres Park in Park Orchards today in an attempt to see the Scarlet Honeyeaters recently reported on Birdline. We parked near the entrance on Arundel Road. As soon as I got out of the car I saw some movement in a large Callistemon tree in the front garden of the house bordering the park. As I looked through the binoculars I saw the bright red head of the Scarlet Honeyeater feeding on a Callistemon Flower, a grey female bird was nearby.

Wattle TrackWattle Track

100 acres park is a significant bushland remnant and contains five communities of native plants which include stringy bark/box peppermint open forest on the ridges and southern slopes; red box open forest on exposed northern slopes in the eastern section; candlebark open forest on lower north-west slopes and on north-east and south-east slopes; manna gum/swamp gum in gullies and aquatic communities scattered on stream lines.

After having a good look at the honeyeaters we headed through some large pine trees into the park, Eastern Spinebill, Red-Browed Finch and Brown Thornbill flew out from the bordering garden. We took Wattle Track and headed down into a gully in the centre of the park. The park was in good condition and was alive with birds. We seemed to be surrounded by Golden and Rufous Whistlers as they called from all directions, a Crested Shrike-Tit was quietly feeding, Yellow-faced and White-naped Honeyeaters zipped around in the tree tops. Other birds in the area were a pair of White-winged Trillers, Eastern Yellow Robin and White-Browed Treecreeper. A Scarlet Robin was heard calling at the intersection with High Track, later we were able to find a female of this species. As we walked Australian White-Ibis, Sulphur Crested Cockatoos, Galahs and Crimson Rosella flew overhead. Several times we came across Scarlet Honeyeaters as they moved through the tree tops.

We walked back towards the car along ridge track and came across the site where the an old homestead had been, there were fewer birds along here. Back towards Arundel Road we heard an Olive-Backed Oriole calling and found a colony of Bell Miner along the border of the park in this area.

An amazing patch of bush teeming with birds. Check out our 100 Acres trip list.

Bell Miners at Yellingbo

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This is one of the first recordings I made. This was madeusing an Audio Technica AT897 shotgun mic and Sony Minidisc recorder on a BOCA bird survey of the Yellingbo Reserve, east of Melbourne.


2:17 minutes (2.62 MB)

Black Winged Stilts

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Black Winged Stilts recorded at the Western Treatment Plan.

Recorded with AT3032 mounted in a Telinga dish, the file has been cleaned up with a low shelf filter to drop low frequencies by 6dB to reduce traffic and jet rumble.


2:21 minutes (1.69 MB)

Lyrebirds at Jehosophat Gully, King Lake National Park

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Not really the quietest place to record. The surrounding roads are a favorite for motorcyclists out on a Sunday ride. This lyrebird was recorded on a short nature walk from the picnic area. There is a fair amount of background noise from people talking, light aircraft and motor cycles but the calls are still quite audible.

Female Lyrebird digging up the garden bed in the carpark!!Female Lyrebird digging up the garden bed in the carpark!!


3:52 minutes (3.24 MB)