Winter is well and truly in full swing, but there have been some sunny days that have been perfect for being out and about, although it’s rather soggy underfoot.
I was fortunate to conduct a winter ‘birds on farms’ survey in Wallington. I was particularly interested in seeing robins, as these birds move from mountainous areas to warmer coastal areas in the winter months, and they have not been seen in as big numbers over the past few years around the Bellarine.
I did not see any robins until the end of the survey, and in the end, there were eight flame robins hanging around a newly ploughed paddock.
There was also the usual small flock of weebills in the yellow gum habitats. Weebills are tiny birds of around 8cm to 9cm in length and are not commonly seen around the Bellarine Peninsula, so it’s always lovely to spot them.
There were also a few honeyeater species on the farm, as the yellow gums were flowering. The red wattlebirds and New Holland honeyeaters are always present in the area, in all seasons.
I saw a few yellow-faced honeyeaters, which are migratory and make movements to and from south-eastern Australia, mostly flying north in autumn and south in spring. These birds can be seen in large flocks when migrating and in smaller groups when feeding.
I also spotted a few white-naped honeyeaters that are also partially migratory. This species breeds in mountainous areas in the summer months and in autumn some birds migrate north and east in flocks with yellow-faced honeyeaters.
One day on my way to work I called in to the Geelong Botanic Gardens, also on the lookout for robins.
I didn’t see any robins but did spot a small flock of eastern spinebills that are also another honeyeater that has seasonal movements from high altitudes to lower regions in autumn and winter.
There was also a flock of silvereyes in a garden near the Botanic Gardens and these birds looked like the Tasmanian subspecies of these birds, as they had grey throats, chestnut flanks and yellow on the undertail. Silvereyes are also highly migratory and move north in the autumn months, returning to breed in southern regions in late winter.
On the way to the Botanic Gardens I drove through Leopold and had the closest encounter with a pair of brown falcons that I have ever had. They were perched in a tree and I drove past, and then did a safe u-turn and said hello. One of the falcons flew away but the other hung around for a photo and a chat.
I could have reached out and shook its wing, I was so close, and the bird was so lovely.
I received a message from Doug, who was walking early in the morning on the beach in Ocean Grove when he spotted an eastern barn owl sitting on top of a sign pole near the steps to the beach.
There are occasional sightings of barn owls on the Bellarine Peninsula, and it’s always wonderful to know that they are around.
