BirdLife Werribee and Birds of the Werribee Catchment
Intro
Birds are a key component of many eco-systems – and being in general large and easily seen they are an important indicator of the health of the area. We are fortunate to have a large variety of birds in the NatureWest area – more than one third of Australia’s bird species have been seen at one location, whilst the region as a whole has played host to at least 330 species of bird (more than 40% of the Australian total), ranging from Australia’s smallest bird (the Weebill) to one of the largest (the Brolga) and one of the rarest (the Orange-bellied Parrot).
Many of our birds are residents, and stay in the area all year round, but others are migrants who come and go with the seasons. Their paths to us are many and varied – some spend the winter here and the summer in Tasmania (such as the Swift Parrot, although that often just passes through on its way further north), the High Country (the Flame Robin) or even New Zealand, whilst others come for the summer – either from further north in Australia or SE Asia or the Arctic! Yes, many birds – in a group called waders, which includes the Red-necked Stint – spend our winter months in the Arctic breeding and then, as the cold creeps in, fly to Australia for our summer months before heading back again to repeat the cycle.
Great places to bird include the Western Treatment Plant in Werribee (generally recognised as one of the best places to see birds in Australia, although access is by permit only), the You Yangs, Serendip Sanctuary, the Brisbane Ranges, Newport Lakes, Jawbone, Lerderderg Gorge and various remnant woodlands between Werribee and Melton.
The region is home to an active birding club – BirdLife Werribee, formerly known as the Werribee Wagtails, who run around 20 birding activities each year. In addition Hobson’s Bay and Melton Councils run birding activities, and other organisations such as the Geelong Field Nats and branches of BirdLife Australia often come to this area to go birding.
Activities
We have a program of events for birders - Click here for details
Bird List
The region is home to more than 330 species of bird as listed below. This data has been compiled using eBird (formerly Eremaea), the Checklist of the birds of the Western Treatment Plant and other sources.
Photos are from BirdLife Photography and will open in a new tab/window. Descriptions are from Birds In Backyards (where available) and will also open in a new tab/window. Both of these sites are run by BirdLife Australia - Australia's main birding organisation - and we would encourage anyone interested in birds to join them.
Sighting information is from the eBird online database - for technical reasons the map covers an area bigger than the NatureWest area. Click on a marker to get details of records at that spot - the default is all sightings in the last 10 years, but you can adjust that using the screen controls. (Note that for species which have not been seen in the specified timeframe the map will be expanded to show sightings in other areas).
Note that eBird,BirdsInBackyards and BirdLifePhotography are not controlled by NatureWest and we can take no responsibility for the information on their sites.
Note that different sites use different names for some birds and some of these are given in parentheses. The birds are in what is called a "taxonomic sequence" - similar birds are grouped together in families - rather than alphabetically. Species marked as "Rare" have occurred in the area but are unlikely to be seen - some of these are normally found in other parts of Australia (where they may be quite common) whereas others come from other countries. Some birds are widespread in the area, and others have very specific habitat requirements and only occur at a few locations.
Stubble Quail Coturnix pectoralis Photos Sightings Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophora Photos Description Sightings Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Introduced, almost certainly extirpated Photos Magpie Goose Anseranas semipalmata Photos Description Sightings Plumed Whistling Duck Dendrocygna eytoni Rare Photos Description Sightings Cape Barren Goose Cereopsis novaehollandiae Photos Description Sightings Black Swan Cygnus atratus Photos Description Sightings Freckled Duck Stictonetta naevosa Photos Description Sightings Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides Photos Description Sightings Pink-eared Duck Malacorhynchus membranaceus Photos Description Sightings Maned Duck (Wood Duck) Chenonetta jubata Photos Description Sightings Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Introduced Photos Description Sightings Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa Photos Description Sightings Australasian Shoveler Anas rhynchotis Photos Description Sightings Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Rare Photos Sightings Grey Teal Anas gracilis Photos Description Sightings Chestnut Teal Anas castanea Photos Description Sightings Hardhead (White-eyed Duck) Aythya australis Photos Description Sightings Blue-billed Duck Oxyura australis Photos Description Sightings Musk Duck Biziura lobata Photos Description Sightings Little Penguin (Fairy Penguin) Eudyptula minor Rare Photos Description Sightings Southern Giant Petrel Macronectes giganteus Rare Photos Sightings Fairy Prion Pachyptila turtur Rare Photos Sightings Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus gavia Rare Photos Sightings Hutton's Shearwater Puffinus huttoni Rare Photos Sightings Short-tailed Shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris Photos Description Sightings White-faced Storm Petrel Pelagodroma marina Rare Photos Sightings Common Diving Petrel Pelecanoides urinatrix Rare Photos Sightings Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae Photos Description Sightings Hoary-headed Grebe Poliocephalus poliocephalus Photos Description Sightings Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus Photos Description Sightings Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca Photos Description Sightings Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis Photos Description Sightings Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus Photos Description Sightings Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia Photos Description Sightings Yellow-billed Spoonbill Platalea flavipes Photos Description Sightings Australasian Bittern Botaurus poiciloptilus Photos Description Sightings Black-backed Bittern (Little Bittern) Ixobrychus dubius Rare Photos Sightings Nankeen Night Heron Nycticorax caledonicus Photos Description Sightings Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus coromandus Photos Description Sightings White-necked Heron (Pacific Heron) Ardea pacifica Photos Description Sightings Great Egret Ardea alba Photos Description Sightings Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia Photos Sightings White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae Photos Description Sightings Little Egret Egretta garzetta Photos Description Sightings Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus Photos Description Sightings Australasian Gannet Morus serrator Photos Description Sightings Brown Booby Sula leucogaster Rare Photos Sightings Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos Photos Description Sightings Black-faced Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscescens Photos Description Sightings Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris Photos Description Sightings Australian Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax varius Photos Description Sightings Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Photos Description Sightings Australasian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae Photos Description Sightings Nankeen Kestrel (Australian Kestrel) Falco cenchroides Photos Description Sightings Australian Hobby Falco longipennis Photos Sightings Brown Falcon Falco berigora Photos Description Sightings Grey Falcon Falco hypoleucos Rare Photos Sightings Black Falcon Falco subniger Photos Description Sightings Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus Photos Description Sightings Eastern Osprey Pandion cristatus Rare Photos Description Sightings Black-breasted Buzzard Hamirostra melanosternon Rare Photos Description Sightings Black-shouldered Kite (Australian Kite) Elanus axillaris Photos Description Sightings Letter-winged Kite Elanus scriptus Rare Photos Description Sightings Black Kite Milvus migrans Photos Description Sightings Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus Photos Description Sightings White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster Photos Description Sightings Swamp Harrier Circus approximans Photos Description Sightings Spotted Harrier Circus assimilis Photos Description Sightings Grey Goshawk Accipiter novaehollandiae Photos Description Sightings Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus Photos Description Sightings Collared Sparrowhawk Accipiter cirrocephalus Photos Description Sightings Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax Photos Description Sightings Little Eagle Hieraaetus morphnoides Photos Description Sightings Buff-banded Rail Gallirallus philippensis Photos Description Sightings Lewin's Rail Lewinia pectoralis Photos Sightings Baillon's Crake Porzana pusilla Photos Sightings Australian Crake (Spotted Crake) Porzana fluminea Photos Description Sightings Spotless Crake Porzana tabuensis Photos Sightings Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio Photos Description Sightings Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa Photos Description Sightings Black-tailed Nativehen Tribonyx ventralis Photos Description Sightings Eurasian Coot Fulica atra Photos Description Sightings Brolga Grus rubicunda Photos Description Sightings Painted Buttonquail Turnix varius Photos Description Sightings Red-chested Buttonquail Turnix pyrrhothorax Rare Photos Sightings Bush Stone-curlew (Bush Thick-knee) Burhinus grallarius Rare Photos Description Sightings Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris Photos Description Sightings Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus Photos Description Sightings White-headed Stilt (Black-winged or Pied) Himantopus leucocephalus Photos Description Sightings Banded Stilt Cladorhynchus leucocephalus Photos Description Sightings Red-necked Avocet Recurvirostra novaehollandiae Photos Description Sightings Banded Lapwing Vanellus tricolor Photos Description Sightings Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles Photos Description Sightings Red-kneed Dotterel Erythrogonys cinctus Photos Description Sightings Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva Photos Description Sightings American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica Rare Sightings Grey Plover (Black-bellied) Pluvialis squatarola Photos Description Sightings Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus Photos Description Sightings Double-banded Plover Charadrius bicinctus Photos Description Sightings Lesser Sand Plover (Mongolian Plover) Charadrius mongolus Photos Sightings Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii Photos Sightings Oriental Plover Charadrius veredus Rare Photos Description Sightings Hooded Dotterel (Hooded Plover) Thinornis rubricollis Rare Photos Description Sightings Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops Photos Description Sightings Australian Painted Snipe Rostratula australis Rare Photos Description Sightings Plains-wanderer Pedionomus torquatus Rare Photos Sightings Latham's Snipe (Japanese Snipe) Gallinago hardwickii Photos Description Sightings Asian Dowitcher Limnodromus semipalmatus Rare Sightings Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa Photos Sightings Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica Rare Photos Sightings Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica Photos Description Sightings Little Curlew Numenius minutus Rare Photos Description Sightings Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Rare Photos Description Sightings Eastern Curlew (Far-eastern Curlew) Numenius madagascariensis Photos Description Sightings Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis Photos Description Sightings Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia Photos Description Sightings Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Rare Photos Sightings Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola Photos Description Sightings Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus Rare Photos Description Sightings Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Photos Description Sightings Grey-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes Rare Photos Description Sightings Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres Photos Description Sightings Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris Photos Sightings Red Knot Calidris canutus Photos Description Sightings Sanderling Calidris alba Photos Description Sightings Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis Photos Description Sightings Little Stint Calidris minuta Rare Photos Sightings Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta Photos Sightings White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis Rare Sightings Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos Photos Sightings Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata Photos Description Sightings Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea Photos Description Sightings Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus Rare Photos Sightings Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus Photos Description Sightings Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis Rare Photos Sightings Ruff Philomachus pugnax Photos Sightings Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus Rare Sightings Australian Pratincole Stiltia isabella Rare Photos Description Sightings Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum Rare Photos Sightings Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae Photos Description Sightings Franklin's Gull Leucophaeus pipixcan Rare Photos Sightings Pacific Gull Larus pacificus Photos Description Sightings Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus Photos Description Sightings Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica Rare Photos Description Sightings Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia Photos Description Sightings Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii Photos Description Sightings Little Tern Sternula albifrons Photos Description Sightings Fairy Tern Sternula nereis Photos Description Sightings White-fronted Tern Sterna striata Rare Photos Description Sightings Common Tern Sterna hirundo Photos Description Sightings Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea Rare Photos Sightings Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida Photos Description Sightings White-winged Tern (WW Black Tern) Chlidonias leucopterus Photos Description Sightings Black Tern Chlidonias niger Rare Sightings Great Skua (Brown Skua) Stercorarius skua Rare Photos Sightings Pomarine Skua (Pomarine Jaeger) Stercorarius pomarinus Rare Photos Sightings Parasitic Jaeger (Arctic Jaeger) Stercorarius parasiticus Photos Sightings Rock Dove (Feral Pigeon) Columba livia Introduced Photos Description Sightings African Collared Dove (Barbary Dove) Streptopelia risoria Introduced Photos Sightings Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis Introduced Photos Description Sightings Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera Photos Description Sightings Brush Bronzewing Phaps elegans Photos Description Sightings Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes Photos Description Sightings Diamond Dove Geopelia cuneata Rare Photos Description Sightings Peaceful Dove Geopelia placida Photos Description Sightings Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus funereus Photos Description Sightings Gang-gang Cockatoo Callocephalon fimbriatum Rare Photos Description Sightings Galah Eolophus roseicapilla Photos Description Sightings Long-billed Corella Cacatua tenuirostris Photos Description Sightings Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea Photos Description Sightings Major Mitchell's Cockatoo (Pink Cockatoo) Lophochroa leadbeateri Rare Photos Description Sightings Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita Photos Description Sightings Cockatiel Nymphicus hollandicus Rare Photos Description Sightings Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus Photos Description Sightings Scaly-breasted Lorikeet Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus Photos Description Sightings Musk Lorikeet Glossopsitta concinna Photos Description Sightings Little Lorikeet Glossopsitta pusilla Photos Sightings Purple-crowned Lorikeet Glossopsitta porphyrocephala Photos Sightings Australian Ringneck Barnardius zonarius Rare Photos Description Sightings Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans Photos Description Sightings Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius Photos Description Sightings Red-rumped Parrot Psephotus haematonotus Photos Description Sightings Blue-winged Parrot Neophema chrysostoma Photos Description Sightings Elegant Parrot Neophema elegans Rare Photos Sightings Orange-bellied Parrot Neophema chrysogaster Photos Description Sightings Swift Parrot Lathamus discolor Photos Description Sightings Budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus Photos Description Sightings Australian King Parrot Alisterus scapularis Rare Photos Sightings Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri Dubious? Sightings Pacific Koel (Asian, Eastern or Australian) Eudynamys orientalis Photos Description Sightings Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo Chrysococcyx basalis Photos Description Sightings Black-eared Cuckoo Chrysococcyx osculans Rare Photos Description Sightings Shining Bronze Cuckoo Chrysococcyx lucidus Photos Sightings Pallid Cuckoo Cacomantis pallidus Photos Description Sightings Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis Photos Description Sightings Brush Cuckoo Cacomantis variolosus Rare Photos Description Sightings Eastern Barn Owl Tyto delicatula Photos Description Sightings Eastern Grass Owl Tyto longimembris Rare Photos Description Sightings Powerful Owl Ninox strenua Photos Description Sightings Barking Owl Ninox connivens Rare Photos Description Sightings Southern Boobook Ninox boobook Photos Description Sightings Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides Photos Description Sightings White-throated Nightjar Eurostopodus mystacalis Rare Photos Sightings Australian Owlet-nightjar Aegotheles cristatus Photos Description Sightings White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus Photos Description Sightings Fork-tailed Swift (Pacific Swift) Apus pacificus Photos Sightings Oriental Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis Rare Photos Description Sightings Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae Photos Description Sightings Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus Photos Description Sightings Red-backed Kingfisher Todiramphus pyrrhopygius Rare Photos Sightings Azure Kingfisher Ceyx azureus Photos Description Sightings Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus Photos Description Sightings White-throated Treecreeper Cormobates leucophaea Photos Description Sightings Brown Treecreeper Climacteris picumnus Photos Description Sightings Superb Fairywren Malurus cyaneus Photos Description Sightings Yellow-faced Honeyeater Lichenostomus chrysops Photos Description Sightings Singing Honeyeater Lichenostomus virescens Photos Description Sightings White-eared Honeyeater Lichenostomus leucotis Photos Description Sightings Yellow-tufted Honeyeater Lichenostomus melanops Photos Description Sightings Yellow-plumed Honeyeater Lichenostomus ornatus Rare Photos Description Sightings Fuscous Honeyeater Lichenostomus fuscus Rare Photos Description Sightings White-plumed Honeyeater Lichenostomus penicillatus Photos Description Sightings Bell Miner Manorina melanophrys Rare Photos Description Sightings Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala Photos Description Sightings Black-chinned Honeyeater Melithreptus gularis Photos Description Sightings Brown-headed Honeyeater Melithreptus brevirostris Photos Description Sightings White-naped Honeyeater Melithreptus lunatus Photos Description Sightings Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Acanthagenys rufogularis Photos Description Sightings Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera Photos Description Sightings Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata Photos Description Sightings Painted Honeyeater Grantiella picta Rare Photos Description Sightings Crescent Honeyeater Phylidonyris pyrrhopterus Photos Description Sightings New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae Photos Description Sightings White-fronted Honeyeater Purnella albifrons Rare Photos Description Sightings Tawny-crowned Honeyeater Gliciphila melanops Rare Photos Description Sightings Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris Photos Description Sightings Black Honeyeater Sugomel nigrum Rare Photos Description Sightings Scarlet Myzomela (Scarlet Honeyeater) Myzomela sanguinolenta Rare Photos Description Sightings Orange Chat Epthianura aurifrons Rare Photos Sightings White-fronted Chat Epthianura albifrons Photos Description Sightings Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus Photos Description Sightings Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus Photos Description Sightings Chestnut-rumped Heathwren (Chestnut-rumped Hylacola) Calamanthus pyrrhopygius Photos Sightings Striated Fieldwren (Striated Calamanthus) Calamanthus fuliginosus Photos Sightings Speckled Warbler Pyrrholaemus sagittatus Photos Description Sightings White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis Photos Description Sightings Weebill Smicrornis brevirostris Photos Description Sightings Western Gerygone Gerygone fusca Rare Photos Sightings White-throated Gerygone Gerygone olivacea Rare Photos Description Sightings Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla Photos Description Sightings Chestnut-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza uropygialis Rare Photos Sightings Buff-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza reguloides Photos Sightings Yellow-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa Photos Description Sightings Yellow Thornbill Acanthiza nana Photos Description Sightings Striated Thornbill Acanthiza lineata Photos Description Sightings Southern Whiteface Aphelocephala leucopsis Photos Sightings Grey-crowned Babbler Pomatostomus temporalis Rare Photos Description Sightings White-browed Babbler Pomatostomus superciliosus Rare Photos Description Sightings Spotted Quail-thrush Cinclosoma punctatum Photos Sightings Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus Photos Description Sightings Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogularis Rare Photos Description Sightings Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen Photos Description Sightings Pied Currawong Strepera graculina Photos Description Sightings Grey Currawong Strepera versicolor Photos Description Sightings White-breasted Woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus Rare Photos Description Sightings Masked Woodswallow Artamus personatus Photos Sightings White-browed Woodswallow Artamus superciliosus Photos Description Sightings Dusky Woodswallow Artamus cyanopterus Photos Description Sightings Black-faced Cuckooshrike Coracina novaehollandiae Photos Description Sightings White-bellied Cuckooshrike Coracina papuensis Rare Photos Sightings Common Cicadabird Coracina tenuirostris Rare Photos Sightings White-winged Triller Lalage tricolor Photos Description Sightings Varied Sittella Daphoenositta chrysoptera Photos Description Sightings Crested Shriketit Falcunculus frontatus Photos Description Sightings Olive Whistler Pachycephala olivacea Rare Photos Description Sightings Gilbert's Whistler Pachycephala inornata Rare Photos Sightings Australian Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis Photos Description Sightings Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris Photos Description Sightings Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus Photos Description Sightings Grey Shrikethrush Colluricincla harmonica Photos Description Sightings Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys Photos Description Sightings Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa Photos Description Sightings Rufous Fantail Rhipidura rufifrons Photos Description Sightings Black-faced Monarch Monarcha melanopsis Rare Photos Description Sightings Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca Photos Description Sightings Leaden Flycatcher Myiagra rubecula Photos Description Sightings Satin Flycatcher Myiagra cyanoleuca Photos Description Sightings Restless Flycatcher Myiagra inquieta Photos Description Sightings House Crow Corvus splendens Rare Sightings Little Raven Corvus mellori Photos Sightings Australian Raven Corvus coronoides Photos Description Sightings White-winged Chough Corcorax melanoramphos Photos Description Sightings Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis Photos Description Sightings Hooded Robin Melanodryas cucullata Rare Photos Description Sightings Jacky Winter Microeca fascinans Photos Description Sightings Rose Robin Petroica rosea Rare Photos Description Sightings Pink Robin Petroica rodinogaster Photos Description Sightings Flame Robin Petroica phoenicea Photos Description Sightings Scarlet Robin Petroica boodang Photos Description Sightings Red-capped Robin Petroica goodenovii Photos Description Sightings White-backed Swallow Cheramoeca leucosterna Rare Photos Sightings Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Rare Photos Sightings Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena Photos Description Sightings Fairy Martin Petrochelidon ariel Photos Description Sightings Tree Martin Petrochelidon nigricans Photos Sightings Horsfield's Bush Lark (Singing or Australian Bush-lark) Mirafra javanica Photos Description Sightings Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis Photos Description Sightings Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis Photos Description Sightings Little Grassbird Megalurus gramineus Photos Description Sightings Rufous Songlark Cincloramphus mathewsi Photos Description Sightings Brown Songlark Cincloramphus cruralis Photos Description Sightings Australian Reed Warbler (Clamorous) Acrocephalus australis Photos Description Sightings Silvereye Zosterops lateralis Photos Description Sightings Common Myna Acridotheres tristis Introduced Photos Description Sightings Common Starling (Eurpean Starling) Sturnus vulgaris Introduced Photos Description Sightings Bassian Thrush (Olive-tailed Thrush) Zoothera lunulata Rare Photos Description Sightings Common Blackbird (Eurasian Blackbird) Turdus merula Introduced Photos Description Sightings Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Introduced Photos Sightings Mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum Photos Description Sightings House Sparrow Passer domesticus Introduced Photos Description Sightings Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus Introduced Photos Sightings Beautiful Firetail Stagonopleura bella Rare Photos Description Sightings Diamond Firetail Stagonopleura guttata Photos Description Sightings Red-browed Finch (Red-browed Firetail) Neochmia temporalis Photos Description Sightings Star Finch Neochmia ruficauda Dubious! Photos Sightings Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata Photos Description Sightings Chestnut-breasted Mannikin (Chestnut-breasted Munia) Lonchura castaneothorax Rare Photos Description Sightings Eastern Yellow Wagtail Motacilla tschutschensis Rare Photos Sightings Australian Pipit Anthus australis Photos Description Sightings European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris Introduced Photos Sightings European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Introduced Photos Description Sightings
Our History and Newsletters
This page is under development - newsletters will be uploaded progressively.
The history of the Werribee birding group - which has had a few name changes but has mostly been called the "Werribee Wagtails" is best seen through its newsletter - the "Werribee Wag-tales". Since the inception of the group until mid-2014 this was edited by Shirley Cameron - the founder and for many years President of the group. Unfortunately some newsletters are missing, and others are only in a bound volume and impossible to copy, so this is a fragmented account - any contributions will be gratefully received.
Thanks to Shirley Cameron, Denis O'Connor and Carole Popham for their assistance with this article.
1995
Carole records that the group went to Pt Wilson in Feb 1995 and Ballarat in April - the earliest document I can find is a bird list apparently from April of that year which is presumable from the Ballarat trip. It also details future outings to Serendip in May and the You Yangs in June – both of which involved admission fees in those days.
The June newsletter advertises a talk by local birder Rohan Bugg, and proposes trips in August to the Saltworks, in September to the Brisbane Ranges and on the Community Bus to Clarkesdale (Linton) in October. The group was now called the Werribee Older Adult Bird Watchers – apparently because the bus was for “Older Adults”!
The next newsletter dates from July – (when Carole’s records have the group going to Trentham and Daylesford), but unfortunately we have no record of the May, June and July outings and makes arrangements for the Pt Lillias (Avalon Beach) and Kirk’s Pt outing in August. The August newsletter has a brief report on this outing, and makes arrangements for a September trip to the Brisbane Ranges – unfortunately we have no record of that trip.
Our next newsletter reports on the October trip to Clarkesdale (Linton) and the final newsletter of the year reports on the Cheetham Wetlands/Pt Cook outing in November and discusses the plans for a WTP trip in Dec – which we have no record of.
| 1995 Newsletters | |
| April | Download |
| June | Download |
| July | Download |
| August | Download |
| October | Download |
| December | Download |
1996
A very lean year for reports unfortunately. The only newsletter contains details of a trip to the WTP in December and refers to the places that were visited in the year.
| 1996 Newsletters | |
| December | Download |
1997
The year got off to a slow start – the first newsletter (in March – only a paper copy exists) states that there have been no outings so far. The next newsletter (April) has full details of a visit to the Bellarine peninsula and makes arrangements for a May walk on the Werribee River, but we have no report on that – presumably it is in the missing 3rd edition of the year. The 4th edition in June details a further walk on the Werribee River (from Riverbend to Shaw’s Rd) and makes plans for another river walk in Jul – which is presumably reported on in the missing 5th edition. The 6th edition details an August outing to the Mansion, and the next edition reports on a Sep trip to Cobbledicks and has plans for a slide night. The 8th edition reports on a bus trip to Jells Park and Westgate Park in October – we only have a paper copy of this. We know the group planned to go to Anakie Gorge in November but there is no record, and the year ends with a bird list (but no report) of a Dec trip to Pt Lillias (Avalon Beach) and Kirk’s Pt.
| 1997 Newsletters | |
| April | Download |
| June | Download |
| August | Download |
| September | Download |
| December | Download |
1998
We have reports of a March visit to the WTP, an April visit to the You Yangs (paper only), May to Anakie Gorge, June to Newport Lake (paper only), July to Melboure Zoo, August to the Werribee River, September to Cherry Lake, October to Point Cook/Cheetham Saltworks and a bus trip to the WTP and a bird list for another visit to Pt Cook in November. There were plans for a visit to Melbourne Botanic Gardens in December but no report is available.
| 1998 Newsletters | |
| March | Download |
| May | Download |
| July | Download |
| August | Download |
| September | Download |
| October (Pt Cook) | Download |
| October (WTP) | Download |
| November | Download |
1999
A full calendar apart from January and December – and I know that for some years the group did not go out regularly in those months. We have newsletters for January (no outing but a report on bird-banding at the WTP), the outings in February to Barwon Heads (including the news that the group had seen 143 species since starting), March to Avalon Beach and Kirk’s Pt, May/June to Newport Lakes, Altona Beach and Cherry Lake and Cobbledicks Ford (along with articles on the problems of rubbish dunping at the WTP and the Black Swan banding project which is still running today (2014)) and a bird list which I believe to be the July trip to Werribee Gorge.
We have no reports on the April trip to Eynesbury and only paper newsletters for the August (Hovell’s Creek), September (Jawbone and Westgate), October (Organ Pipes) and November (WTP) outings.
| 1999 Newsletters | |
| January | Download |
| February | Download |
| March | Download |
| May/June | Download |
| July | Download |
2000
The first activity of the year was to Laverton Lakes (? – possibly Cheetham wetlands?) and Jawbones, and is described in the first newsletter along with some notes about the “Bird Observer” and forthcoming destinations.
There is only a paper newsletter for the Match (or was it April?) outing to Pt Lillias and Kirk’s Point (there seem to have been a lot of trips there in the early days – nowadays the road is almost impassable except with a 4WD so maybe it was better then?). There is also an article on a visit to the You Yangs in “late Indian Summer” which I have guessed at April – but Carole thinks could be June! There is no report on a late April visit to Braeside unfortunately or the June visit to Long Forest.
We have a July list for the visit to Jerringot, Ironbark Basin and Anglesea and a brief August report of a trip on parts of the Werribee River. There is a brief report of the September trip to Anakie gorge but nothing for the October Healesville and November WTP visits – apart from a bird list that is presumably from the WTP.
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
The first newsletter of the year has Dave Torr shown as President, so obviously there was a changeover at some time - when is not recorded!
| 2010 Newsletters | ||
| March |
Jan - Basin Reserve (Drysdale), Lake Lorne, McLeod's Waterholes and Point Henry |
Download |
| June | Apr - Barringo Reserve, Day's Picnic Ground, Macedon Memorial cross May - Werribee Gorge Jun - Werribee River and Riverbend Park Also "BOCA Echuca camp" |
Download |
| August | Jul - Werribee River Aug - You Yangs (and Shirley gets an award) |
Download |
| October | Sep - Jerringot, Connewarre Lake and Barwon Heads Oct - Grampians Camp Also - a "twitch" for a Northern Shoveller and one for an Ostrich, visits to the WTP, Chiltern and Gluepot and a report on banding. |
Download |
| December | Nov - WTP Dec - You Yangs Also a trip to Kangaroo Island |
Download |
2011
| 2011 Newsletters | ||
| January | Jan - Geelong Also reports on catching and banding stints, the travels of a Ruddy Turnstone and Baringhup after the floods |
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| April | Feb - Bannockburn Mar - WTP Apr - Bacchus Marsh Also a brief Indian trip report |
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| June | May - Laverton Creek, Truganina Swamp, Apex Park and Newport Lake Jun - Werribee River Park Also - Christina's trip to Botswana, "Meet Susan Myers", an update on the BOCA-BA merger and a report on the May Western Woodlands survey |
Download |
| August | Jul - Eynesbury Aug - Brisbane Ranges (Spring Creek, Boar Gully, Beremboke and Stony Creek) Also - a "twitch" for a Northern Shoveller and one for an Ostrich, visits to the WTP, Chiltern and Gluepot and a report on banding. |
Download |
| November | Sep - You Yangs Oct - Inverloch Camp Oct - Werribee River Also - WA trip report |
Download |
| December | Nov - WTP Dec - Pt Cook |
Download |
2012
| 2012 Newsletters | ||
| February | Jan - Jerringot, Balyang and Pt Henry Feb - WTP Ticking the Tasmanian Endemics and Pt Cook brochure |
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| April | Mar - Fyansford Common and private property near Connewarre Mar - Spotlighting at Eynesbury Apr - Gisborne area |
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| July | May - Pt Addis, Great Otway National Park and Distillery Creek Jun - Werribee River Jul - Pt Cook Also - "Pink or Rose Robin", "Liz at Menindee" and "Mt Rothwell in TV" |
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| October | Aug - You Yangs Sep - Woodlands Also - "Liz, Dave and Iian in Broken Hill" |
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| November | Oct - Chiltern Camp Nov - Western Treatment Plant Also - "Dave and Iian in Peru" |
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Note the December outing to Altona is covered in the first newsletter of 2013.
2013
| 2013 Newsletters | ||
| March | December 2012 outing to Altona, January to Werribee River and Mansion, February to Ballarat and March to the WTP |
Download |
| April | Newport Lake and Kororoit Creek | Download |
| May | Avalon Beach, Lara Lake & Dog Rock Batesford | Download |
| June | Bacchus Marsh | Download |
| July | Cobbledick's Ford and Eynesbury | Download |
| August | Westgate Park and Melbourne Botanic Gardens | Download |
| September | You Yangs | Download |
| October | Echuca Camp | Download |
| November | Western Treatment Plant | Download |
| December | Point Cook | Download |
2014
In August David Jenkins took over as editor, taking over from Shirley who had done the job since the group started. In the same month our application to become a branch of BirdLife Australia was approved, making us part of a mational organisation with 65,000+ supporters (and an international organisation of 10 million+ supporters), and we also celebrated 10 years of surveys at Pinkerton Forest with PLEG.
As from December, we have been issuing the newsletter in a small and large version - the large version contains higher resolution photos which are much more suitable for display on large monitors, but the files are typically mre than 10 MB where as the small versions are around 1 MB and quite suitable for mobile devices and small monitors
| 2014 Newsletters | ||
| January | Werribee River | Download |
| February | Kororoit Ck and Newport Lake | Download |
| March | Balliang, Lake Connewarre and Barwon Heads | Download |
| April | Western Treatment Plant | Download |
| May | Anakie Gorge, Stieglitz and Durdidwarrah Reservoirs | Download |
| June | Werribee Mansion, K Rd and River Mouth (only a bird list is available) | Download |
| July | RAAF and Spectacle Lakes and Pt Cook beach area | Download |
| August | You Yangs Articles on a UK trip, Harriers, Kestrels, twitching the Bustard in Victoria, the Mt. Rothwell Bird Survey and a brief review of "Where Song Began" |
Download |
| September | Gisborne and Macedon Also a leucistic Fairywren at the WTP, 10 years of Pinkerton surveys, Martin identification, Shirley and Sean Dooley, Book Review - "Where Song Began", Mute Swans in Scotland |
Download |
| October | Warrnambool Camp, Broken Hill report, King Island trip, Flinders Ranges trip | Download |
| November | WTP outing, NSW trip report, Broken Hill report, The 28 Parrot | Download |
| December | Melton outing, Werribee River Park, Long-billed Dowitcher, Werribee Zoo, Pinkerton Survey, WTP Open Day, Bronze-cuckoos, Broken Hill report, Semipalmated Plover and Cape Gannet | Download (small) Download (large) |
2015
| 2015 Newsletters | ||
| February | Ballarat Outing, Digital Photo policy, Broken Hill, Pinkerton survey, New begiiners outings, A twitch to Nowra | Download (small) Download (large) |
| March | Geelong Outing, Hooded Plovers, Broken Hill, 2 Kororoit Ck outings, Twenty-eight parrot | Download (small) |
Pinkerton Surveys
We have been doing quarterly bird surveys at Pinkerton Forest and Bush's Paddock (in association with PLEG) for the last 10 years, and for most of that time we have also been surveying the birds in Eynesbury forest.
This summary shows our findings overall and for some key birds.
Shell Collector Cards
Collectible Bird Cards
I found this set at my local Op Shop. I thought I should share - Colleen Miller Shell - Bird Collector Cards Cover_Medium.jpg http://test.wmcn.org.au/images/Birds/ShellCards/Cover_Medium.jpg Page 3_Medium.jpg http://test.wmcn.org.au/images/Birds/ShellCards/Page 3_Medium.jpg Page 4_Medium.jpg http://test.wmcn.org.au/images/Birds/ShellCards/Page 4_Medium.jpg Page 5_Medium.jpg http://test.wmcn.org.au/images/Birds/ShellCards/Page 5_Medium.jpg Page 6_Medium.jpg http://test.wmcn.org.au/images/Birds/ShellCards/Page 6_Medium.jpg page 7_Medium.jpg http://test.wmcn.org.au/images/Birds/ShellCards/page 7_Medium.jpg Page 8_Medium.jpg http://test.wmcn.org.au/images/Birds/ShellCards/Page 8_Medium.jpg page 2_Medium.jpg http://test.wmcn.org.au/images/Birds/ShellCards/page 2_Medium.jpg
