Winchelsea Birding
Winchelsea is between Geelong and Colac on the Princes Highway. I ended up there somehow because I was looking for Lake Gherang but it was dry. So were all the other lakes around the area. The Barwon River flows through Winchelsea. It seems to come from behind the Otway Ranges and do a big loop and come out at Barwon Heads, where I was a few days ago. There is a really good reserve along the banks of the river right in town.
That afternoon I had a nice rest for a change and just spotted some Rock Doves, magpies, Australian Wood Ducks, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Galahs and some Gang-gang Cockatoos from the comfort of my deck chair. During the night it was bitterly cold. In the morning I got out the camera and took some photos. I found this bee hive in a hollow in a big old gum tree by the river. They are European Bees, not native bees.
Bee Hive
There were a few water birds on the river, not many, just some Dusky Moorhen, Australian White Ibis and some immature Australian Shelduck. There were heaps of New Holland Honyeaters around, as well as White-plumed Honyeaters. A couple of blackbirds hopped around in the undergrowth, and I spotted a new species for me, the Purple-crowned Lorikeet.
Purple-crowned Lorikeet (Glossopsitta porphryocephala)
There were some Red-rumped Parrots around as well. This charming debonair chap looked like he wasn’t going to let an ugly head get in the way of good grooming. His hair style is straight out of the fifties with that lovely wave.
hybrid goose
Bambra Wetlands
I spotted a pair of Wedge-tailed Eagles on the road from Winchelsea to Bambra. Just past Bambra, I screamed to a halt, because I spotted a sign saying Bambra Wetlands. So I went in to have a look. First thing I see before I get my camera ready to go is a White-naped Honeyeater, waiting for my, all posed up.
White-naped Honyeater (Melithreptus lunatus)
Then an Eastern Yellow Robin came along, but I got distracted by a phone call, so I missed that photo op. And weirdness of all weirdness, a peacock comes blundering through the bush, eating some berries off a bush. What next? To normalize things a bit, a Superb Fairy-wren brought me back to earth, and then a Crimson Rosella. Phew!
Big Hill Track
The Big Hill Track is at the start of the Great Otways National Park as you come in along the Winchelsea to Lorne road. There is a camp site close to the road which is very nice. Late in the afternoon, I went for a walk around the camp ground without the camera, and of course a gorgeous Rufous Fantail popped up right in front of me. So I rushed to get the camera and of course by the time I got back, he had disappeared. I kept going anyway and walked down the track for about an hour or so. I saw some Brown Thornbills, Grey Fantails and a bunch of screeching Red Wattlebirds in the valley.
The next morning was overcast and as dark as can be. I took a photograph of a White-throated Treecreeper at ISO1600, f/5.6, and shutter speed 1/400 and it was still dark. Thats how dark it was. After that, I just gave up. Back at the camp ground, I spotted this female or immature Scarlet Robin.
Scarlet Robin (Petroica boodang)
Winchelsea bird list
Rock Dove
Australian Magpie
Australian Wood Duck
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Galah
Gang-gang Cockatoo
Australian Raven
Willy Wagtail
White-plumed Honeyeater
Dusky Moorhen
Australian Shelduck
Welcome Swallow
Common Blackbird
New Holland Honyeater
Common Starling
Red Wattlebird
Australian White Ibis
Spotted Turtle-dove
Superb Fairy-wren
Red-rumped Parrot
Golden Whistler
Magpie-lark
Purple-crowned Lorikeet
Bambra Wetlands bird list
Wedge-tailed Eagle
White-naped Honeyeater
Welcome Swallow
Peacock
Superb Fairy-wren
Crimson Rosella
Big Hill Track bird list
Rufous Fantail
Grey Fantail
Superb Fairy-wren
Brown Thornbill
Red Wattlebird
Silvereye
Crimson Rosella
Eastern Yellow Robin
White-throated Treecreeper
Golden Whistler
Australian Raven
Scarlet Robin