Bird Life

For the bird watchers and those who may just have a passing interest in this fascinating section of the animal world, a list of birds that have visited Violet Town and surrounding areas.

Some residents have compiled lists of birds observed in their area of residence or in a particular bushland area close to Violet Town. These areas are Koonda, 12km north of Violet Town, Upotipotpon and Koornong at Long Gully.

The HREP Group has also carried out formal surveys of the bird life along the Honeysuckle Creek within the Violet Town Recreation Reserve since 2013. An article about these surveys has been included below and also a link to the colourful brochure Birds of the Honeysuckle Creek which was produced by the HREP Group in 2015.

 

There are over 80 bird species that inhabit or visit the Violet Town region. An excellent brochure has been produced by the HREP group called Birds of the Honeysuckle Creek and is available to the public from businesses in  Cowslip Street.

The monthly detailed survey reports are available in issues of the Village Voice on this website.

Nov 2016, p 11Dec 2016, p8, Feb 2017, p13, Mar 2017 p7, Apr 2017 p6, May 2017 p21, Jun 2017 p22

Jul 2017 p6, Aug 2017 p16, Sep 2017 p9, Oct 2017 p7, Nov 2017 p19, Dec 2017 p18

Grey Crowned Babbler rescue project.

Bird species of the Bushland Reserve near Koonda

The Bushland Reserve is located about twelve kilometres to the north of Violet Town on the Nalinga-Dookie Road.

Brown goshawk Peregrine falcon Brown falcon
Painted button quail* Black fronted dotteral Peaceful dove
Common bronzewing Crested pigeon Little corella
Musk lorikeet* Purple crowned lorikeet* Little lorikeet*
Swift parrot Cockatiel* Budgerigar*
Crimson parrot Eastern rosella Red rumped parrot
Pallid cockatoo* Fan tailed cuckoo Boobook owl
Tawny frogmouth* Kookaburra Sacred kingfisher
Rainbow bee eater Welcome sparrow Tree martin
Richard's pippit White winged triller Scaly thrush
Flame robin Scarlet robin* Hooded robin*
Eastern yellow robin Jacky winter* Crested shrike tit
Gilbert's whistler* Golden whistler Rufous whistler
Grey shrike thrush Restlest flycatcher Willie wagtail
Grey fantail Grey crowned babbler White browed babbler*
Rufous songlark Superb blue wren Southern whiteface*
Striated thornbill Yellow thornbill Buff rumped thornbill
Yellow rumped thornbill Western warbler Varied sitella
Brown tree creeper* Red wattlebird Noisy friarbird
Little friarbird Noisy miner Blue faced honeyeater*
White naped honeyeater Fuscous honeyeater White fronted chat
Mistletoe bird Spotted pardalote Striated pardalote
European goldfinch Diamond firetail* Olive backed oriole
White winged chough Mudlark Dusky woodswallow
Australian magpie Pied currawong Little raven
Australian raven Painted honeyeater Australian owlet-nightjar*
White throated treecreeper White browed swallow Black faced cuckoo shrike
Yellow tufted honeyeater Sulphur crested cockatoo White bellied cuckoo shrike
White plumed honeyeater Horsfield's bronze cockatoo  
Black chinned honeyeater*    
     

Bird species of "pootong pootong" / Upotipotpon

Common Name Scientific Name
Black Swan Cygnus atratus
Australian  Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides
Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata
Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Little Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax melanoleucos
White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae
White-necked Heron Ardea pacifica
Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca
Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis
Yellow-billed Spoonbill Platalea flaveolens
Black Kite Milvus migrans
Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus
White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster
Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus
Wedge-tailed Eagle  Aquila audax
Little Eagle Hieraaetus morphnoides
Brown Falcon Falco berigora
Australian Hobby Falco longipennis
Black Falcon  Falco niger
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
Nankeen Kestrel  Falco cenchroides
Painted Button-quail  Turnix varia
Bush Stone-curlew  Burhinus grallarius
Masked Lapwing  Vanellus miles
Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops
Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera
Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
Galah Cacatua roseicapilla
Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita
Cockatiel Nymphicus hollandicus
Musk Lorikeet Glossopsitta concinna
Little Lorikeet Glossopsitta pusilla
Australian King-Parrot Alisterus scapularis
Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans
Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius
Swift Parrot Lathamus discolor
Red-rumped Parrot Psephotus haematonotus
Budgerigar  Melopsittacus undulatus
Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo Chrysococcyx basalis
Barn Owl Tyto alba
Southern Boobook Ninox boobook
Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides
Australian Owlet-nightjar Aegotheles cristatus
Spotted Nightjar Eurostopodus argus
White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus
Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus
Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus
Brown Treecreeper Climacteris picumnus
Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus
Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus
Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus
Weebill    Smicrornis brevirostris
Western Gerygone Gerygone fusca
Yellow-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa
Yellow Thornbill Acanthiza nana
Southern Whiteface Aphelocephala leucopsis
White-plumed Honeyeater Lichenostomus penicillatus
Fuscous Honeyeater Lichenostomus fuscus
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis
Black-chinned Honeyeater Melithreptus gularis
Brown-headed Honeyeater Melithreptus brevirostris
Painted Honeyeater Grantiella picta
Little Friarbird Philemon citreogularis
Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus
Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata
Black Honeyeater Certhionyx niger
Pied Honeyeater Certhionyx variegatus
White-fronted Chat Epthianura albifrons
Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis
Scarlet Robin Petroica multicolor
Red-capped Robin Petroica goodenovii
Flame Robin Petroica phoenicia
Pink Robin Petroica rodinogaster
Hooded Robin Melandryas cucullata
Jacky Winter Microeca fascinans
Grey-crowned Babbler Pomatostomus temporalis
White-browed Babbler Pomatostomus superciliosus
Varied Sittella Daphoenositta chrysoptera
Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis
Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris
Grey Shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica
Eastern Shrike-tit Falcunculus frontatus
Restless Flycatcher Myiagra inquieta
Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca
Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa
Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
Masked Woodswallow Artamus personatus
White-browed Woodswallow Artamus superciliosus
Dusky Woodswallow Artamus cyanopterus
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae
White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike Coracina papuensis
White-winged Triller Lalage sueurii
Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus
Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus
Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogularis
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Pied Currawong Strepera graculina
Australian Raven Corvus coronoides
Little Raven Corvus mellori
White-winged Chough Corcorax melanorhampos
Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
Fairy Martin Hirundo ariel
Tree Martin Hirundo nigricans
Mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum
Australian Pipit Anthus australis
Diamond Firetail Stagonopleura guttata
Rufous Songlark Cincloramphus mathewsi
Brown Songlark Cincloramphus cruralis
*Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula
*Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
*Common Myna Acridotheres tristis

The bird list was created by Lance Williams of Trust for Nature.

Birds seen at 'Koornong' in Long Gully near Violet Town

Stubble Quail Rainbow Bee-eater Black-chinned Honeyeater
Brown Quail White-throated Needletail Brown-headed Honeyeater
Peaceful Dove Fork-tailed Swift Scarlet Honeyeater
Common Bronzewing Pallid Cuckoo Eastern Spinebill
Crested Pigeon Fan-tailed Cuckoo White-fronted
Australasian Grebe Black-eared Cuckoo Honeyeater
Hoary-headed Grebe Horsfi eld's Bronze-Cuckoo Regent Honeyeater
Little Pied Cormorant Shining Bronze-Cuckoo Fuscous Honeyeater
Masked Lapwing Welcome Swallow Yellow-faced Honeyeater
Black-fronted Dotterel Tree Martin White-eared Honeyeater
Australian White Ibis Fairy Martin Yellow-tufted Honeyeater
Straw-necked Ibis Grey Fantail White-plumed
Yellow-billed Spoonbill Rufous Fantail Honeyeater
White-faced Heron Willie Wagtail New Holland Honeyeater
White-necked Heron Leaden Flycatcher Noisy Miner
Nankeen Night Heron Restless Flycatcher Red Wattlebird
Australian Wood Duck Scarlet Robin Noisy Friarbird
Australian Shelduck Red-capped Robin Little Friarbird
Pacifi c Black Duck Flame Robin Richard's Pipit
Grey Teal Eastern Yellow Robin Diamond Firetail
Hardhead Golden Whistler Red-browed Finch
Collared Sparrowhawk Rufous Whistler Olive-backed Oriole
Wedge-tailed Eagle Grey Shrike-thrush White-winged Chough
Little Eagle Magpie-Lark Pied Currawong
Whistling Kite Crested Shrike-tit Grey Currawong
Black Kite Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike Australian Magpie
Black-shouldered Kite White-winged Triller Australian Raven
Australian Hobby White-throated Gerygone Little Raven
Brown Falcon Western Gerygone Rock Dove
Nankeen Kestrel Weebill Striated Pardalote
Southern Boobook Southern Whiteface Common Blackbird
Rainbow Lorikeet Striated Thornbill House Sparrow
Musk Lorikeet Yellow Thornbill European Goldfi nch
Purple-crowned Lorikeet Brown Thornbill Common Myna
Little Lorikeet Buff-rumped Thornbill Common Starling
Gang-gang Cockatoo Yellow-rumped Thornbill  
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo White-browed Scrubwren  
Little Corella Rufous Songlark  
Long-billed Corella Clamorous Reed-Warbler  
Galah Superb Fairy-wren  
Australian King-Parrot Masked Woodswallow  
Crimson Rosella White-browed  
Eastern Rosella Woodswallow  
Red-rumped Parrot Dusky Woodswallow  
Budgerigar Varied Sittella  
Tawny Frogmouth Brown Treecreeper  
Dollarbird White-throated  
Laughing Kookaburra Treecreeper  
Sacred Kingfi sher Mistletoebird  
Azure Kingfi sher Spotted Pardalote  
  Silvereye  
  White-naped Honeyeater  
     

 

Honeysuckle Creek Wildlife, Part 1: The birds

Honeysuckle Creek begins its life as a small trickle somewhere in the vicinity of Boho South up on the Strathbogie plateau, then heads to the north-west and north down the slopes of the Strathbogie Ranges, widening out onto the plains towards the Goulburn River. 

In Violet Town it runs right through our town from the base of the hills on to the plains; we can feel particularly blessed that we have this wonderful natural feature wending its way through an otherwise human-constructed setting. The Honeysuckle brings water – in the form of flowing stretches and still pools - and wildlife that find a place in the creek and the fringing plants and the broader width of vegetation. It gives us a wonderful opportunity to observe and appreciate a real slice of nature occurring on our town’s doorstep. We are fortunate that there is still a good - albeit narrow - cover of eucalypts, and other trees, fringing the creek (with, very notably, a number of large, very old, hollow-bearing individuals). Many of us appreciate the leafy environment, the water, the large eucalypts, the birds and the frogs. 

As part of Stage 2 of the Honeysuckle Recreational Environment Project (HREP) we are undertaking surveys to observe and record the fauna that occurs along the creek.

There are several reasons why we want to do this. We’d like to determine which species of bird, mammal, frog and reptile live here, and where exactly.  We also wish to learn just what effect our restoration and revegetation efforts are having on the fauna of the creek and its immediate environs, and what we can do better, in terms of our works, to improve their lot.

We are carrying out day time surveys (anything that can be detected, including frogs and reptiles, but mainly birds) and night time spotlighting surveys (mainly for arboreal mammals, but, again includes birds and frogs, and anything else we can detect).

So far, 44 species of birds (including three non-natives), at least 8 species of mammal (including three non-natives), and five species of frog (all indigenous), have been recorded in the surveys. (Regarding the mammal numbers, there are unknown numbers of small insectivorous bat species that are occurring along the creek, but we can’t determine the identification of these purely by spotlighting surveys.) 

The surveys have already shown that a higher diversity and numbers of birds occur where HREP volunteers have put in indigenous ground and shrub layer plants, such as the area behind the Bowls Club. It’s in places like here that we are particularly finding concentrations of mixed feeding flocks of small insectivorous birds that include Striated Thornbill, Weebill, Spotted Pardalote, Striated Pardalote, as well as the odd one or two Grey Fantail (this one not ordinarily being a flocking bird). The improved condition, and increased complexity, of vegetation has made this area more attractive for these birds.

It is extremely pleasing to see that all the work that has been undertaken on the creek is actually providing increased habitat for these small birds. These species add so much to improve the ecological workings and health of the creek environment. Maybe the presence of such birds also adds to our own well-being. They are quite remarkable to watch through a pair of binoculars, and, as they work at gleaning insects from the branches and leaves, they are helping to ensure that experiencing our creek environment can remain an integral part of being a Violet Town resident and visitor.

Lance Williams  2014

 

 

 

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