Thirteen people attended the bird walk at this popular site, one being a newcomer to the area. Before most people arrived, three of us saw a Spotted Turtle-dove sitting on the powerline in the car park. It was a sunny morning and we saw a total of 49 species. Among them were Pacific Black Duck with chicks, Little Pied, Great and Little Black Cormorants, a White-necked (Pacific) Heron, and two Royal Spoonbills. Sixteen Darters flew overhead. We saw a Swamp Harrier, and were very pleased to see a Latham's Snipe. Some of us also watched it briefly through Mike Ogden's telescope. We saw two Red-rumped Parrots which I and a few others have not seen there before.
After the Wetlands, we went to the Sewage Ponds where we saw the usual water birds, Hoary-headed and Australasian Grebes, Coots, ducks, and a Whistling Kite. After some of the group left, the rest of us decided to check another pond and were rewarded with a good sighting of 3 Blue-billed Ducks, much to our delight.
Thanks to Philip Veerman for his help in identification of raptors, and with the bird calls, many of which I'm not familiar with. Thank you also to Mike Ogden for the use of his telescope. We all had an enjoyable morning.
Maria Lukacs.