Steve Happ Photography

Jerringot Wetlands, Geelong

Jerringot Wetlands is in the Belmont Common, just near Geelong, in Victoria. There is a hide and some re-vegetation has been done by the Geelong Field Naturalist’s Club. I got there about 8am after driving from Barwon Heads. It was good to see some water in a wetlands for a change. There were quite a few birds around. When I got there I saw a few bush birds like swallows, Magpie-larks, White-plumed Honeyeater, New Holland Honyeater, Grey Currawong and this Australian Raven, which I got in silhouette. I am not usually a fan of silhouette photographs but I quite like this one.

Australian Raven

The water birds were quite abundant, there were ducks like Pacific Black Duck and Chestnut Teal, Royal Spoonbill, Australasian Grebe, White-faced Heron, and a couple of Black-winged Stilt. I managed to spot a Buff-banded Rail in a drain leading into the wetland. The Buff-banded Rail is related to the New Zealand Weka and the Lord Howe Island Woodhen.

Buff-banded Rail (Gallirallus phillippensis)

Around about the same time, I put up some Latham’s Snipe. They are also called Japanese Snipe. They are very flighty birds and usually feed in the grass or saltmarsh. Mostly you only see them when they fly up out of the grass. I saw at least six of them.

Latham’s Snipe (Gallinago hardwickii)

Later on, I spotted a pair of Masked Lapwing over the other side of the busy road, about eight Black-fronted Dotterel, and a New Holland Honeyeater. All in all, the Belmont Common is quite a good spot for birding, especially when most other wetlands were dry.

Belmont Common bird list

Welcome Swallow
Australian Raven
Pacific Black Duck
Purple Swamphen
White-faced Heron
Royal Spoonbill
White-plumed Honeyeater
Australian Reed-warbler
Australasian Grebe
Red Wattlebird
Magpie-lark
Grey Currawong
Chestnut Teal
Silver Gull
Australian Magpie
Black-winged Stilt
Buff-banded Rail
Lathams Snipe
New Holland Honeyeater
Black-fronted Dotterel
Australian White Ibis
Masked Lapwing
Superb Fairy-wren
Intermediate Egret