Albert Park Bird Survey - March 2012

A new species for Albert Park is the Plumed Whistling Duck, with 9 being seen recently. Little Black and Little Pied Cormorants, with immatures of both species, are in good numbers while Great Cormorants are recorded regularly and a Pied Cormorant was noted on 1 February. Adult and juvenile Nankeen Night Herons occur regularly with one juvenile now developing adult plumage. Great Crested Grebes were last seen on 12 December while an Intermediate Egret was the first since 2009 (Great Egrets are now the common species at the park).- Little-Grassbirds-and-Australian Reed Warblers both have dependent-young. Little Grebes (most in breeding plumage) and Hoary-headed Grebes (only a few in breeding plumage) are in small numbers. Coots have been in large numbers (top count 596 at the end of Jan) with at least 4 pairs that nested and 1 pair is now building or renovating a nest. White-eyed Ducks (Hardheads) numbered 200 on 30 January but only 2 on 1 February. A pair of Grey Teal had 2 young on 1 February.
White Cockatoos, Galahs and Rainbow Lorikeets have all produced young. Musk Lorikeets were noted in late January which is earlier than the usual appearance. Red-rumped Parrots have returned to the park with several adults and an immature seen.

Albert Park Bird Survey - February 2012

Unusually large numbers of waterbirds have been recorded lately despite high water levels in the Murray - Darling Basin.  During the drought most water birds stayed on the lake but with widespread rain in 2010 many left.  In 2011 large numbers returned to stay at the lake although water levels are high across south eastern Australia.  White-eyed Ducks number up to 150 birds.  No young have been seen but some may have bred.  Usually only one or two pairs stay in the breeding season.  At least three pairs of Chestnut Teal have bred, a few Grey Teal have been recorded and two Blue-winged Shovellers were seen.  Dusky Moorhens, Purple Swamphens and Coots are breeding.  One, sometimes two, Great Crested Grebes have been noted. Nankeen Night-Herons, Great Egrets, Royal Spoonbills, Little and Hoary-headed Grebes, some in breeding plumage, have all been seen.  Masked Lapwings did not breed at Albert Park in 2011.  Willie Wagtails are only seen in low numbers now.  Both Reed Warblers and Little Grassbirds have been feeding young.  Two Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos and one Pied Currawong were being harassed by Noisy Miners.  Seven White Cockatoos were seen near a drinking fountain where I turned on the tap to get a drink.

Albert Park Bird Survey - November 2011

Noisy Miners fledged young at the end of August while Magpies and Mudlarks have been building nests with some now incubating eggs.  A Japanese (Latham's) Snipe was recorded on 5 October, only the second recorded for Albert Park.  It landed on a small open spot, allowing good views.  Pied Stilts have been seen recently but with no muddy lake edges they do not stay.  On 29 July a Royal Spoonbill in non-breeding plumage was noted and on 3 September two were in breeding plumage and two others in non-breeding plumage.  Coots present a puzzle.  During the drought they remained in high numbers (about 200) but dropped to low numbers last year.  Now there are about 450, a figure usually recorded in winter with lower numbers in spring and summer.  Three ducklings disappeared quickly, with Swamphens or European Carp being likely predators.  Swamphens and Dusky Moorhens are probably breeding as smaller numbers have been seen recently

Albert Park Bird Survey - Sept 2011

Two Black Swan nests still have eggs.  No Latham's Snipe or Black-fronted Dotterels have been seen this year while Great Egrets, Royal Spoonbills and White-faced Herons are only staying for brief periods and the first Pied Stilt noted for some time flew away quickly as the water level stays high and there is no shallow water for wading birds.  Hoary-headed and Australasian Little Grebes have returned and about 130 Coots and 110 White-eyed Ducks have been recorded lately.  Among "bush birds", both Magpies a nd Noisy Miners are building nests.  Musk Lorikeets were present between I May and 15 June, which is later than usual.  About 100 Little Corollas in April, May and June, are down to only three now with two adult Pied Currawongs seen lately.

Albert Park Bird Survey - May 2011

Five Little Corellas were seen with 50 Long-billed Corellas at the end of March.  One immature with four adult Pied Currawongs was an unusual record on 31 March.  A Common (Indian) Mynah feeding three begging young on 1 March was a late breeding record for that species.  Among water birds, on 31 March one pair of Black Swans had three cygnets and two other pairs had nests.  Amazingly, all survived boat races on the lake and the disturbances of the Grand Prix car racing.  By 6 April there were two more cygnets.  An immature Darter has been seen periodically since mid January, sometimes with an adult male and female.  Reed Warblers were last recorded on 21 March.  A Reed Warbler nest survived heavy rain but later was found destroyed, possibly by Swamphens.  Little Grassbirds were feeding young from 21 February to early March.  A Pelican was seen until early March and three species of cormorants (adults with immatures) was an uncommon event.  A Chestnut Teal male and Black Duck female produced hybrid young with the ducklings possibly taken by water rats.

Albert Park Bird Survey - Mar 2011

Rainbow Lorikeets, noticed going In and out of a hole in a palm, have fledged young.  Three immature Crested Pigeons were recorded at the end of December and one more was seen recently but nests have not been found.  An adult and 2 immature Pied Currawongs were seen on 12 January.  This species usually comes in April and stays until late July to mid August with most being irnmatures.  Of the three breeding pairs of Willie Wagtails, one pair reared one young while another pair is rearing its second brood.  Starlings are now in smaller numbers than was the case several years ago.  More immature Little Blake Cormorants have been recorded than is usual for this time of year.  One was seen to regurgitate a pellet.  Immature Little Pied Cormorants are also present.  An adult Pied Cormorant was seen on 10 January and four (including two immatures) were seen on 17 January and are still present.  This species is rare at Albert Park and usually does not stay.  Swamphens are still breeding with one young on 1 February.  Occasional Nankeen Night-Herons (in breeding plumage) are recorded. Reed Warblers were incubating eggs from 28 January in a nest that can be seen from the path beside the lake.