Mainly WTP

 As Tuesday was our only chance at the Queen Vic Markets we were up and at them early.  This was not a contender for Bird A Day (a mynah is reserved for a day of desperation in Canberra).

Spot the disconnect!
I'm not sure how these sell - but can pick the target market - and am astonished at the price.  This has been passed on to the diving community in Mallacoota who are starting up the industry. Apparently urchins have a very short shelf life when fresh.
Out to the Western Treatment Plant, continuing to marvel at the mess of road works to the West of the West Gate Bridge.  I wonder if they will ever finish this - in the 2+ years we have been using this road nothing seems to have changed!

Anyhow, got the WTP and very soon after getting in saw a flock of possible sparrows.  The heck they were: Zebra Finches, which will be hard to beat for Bird of the Day.  They didn't hang about for photos!  We finally got to Ryans Swamp but it looked difficult to get to the swamp, and the surrounding vegetation didn't look swampy so we turned back, spotting a Brown Falcon fly by and perch on a dead tree.
There is a strange building on the main track in and today it was very well decorated by the nests of Fairy Martins.  While there were lots of Martins around, the only occupant visible was a House Sparrow.
Then we got to the first of several flocks of Australian Shelduck.
WE continued to drive to the Lake Borrie Bird Hide where there were many shorebirds, about 200m from the hide.  I rated most of them as Red-necked Stints with a couple of Curlew Sandpipers visible.  I am sure a wader expert would have found a lot more.
Our first Pied Stilt for the day.
A Swamp Harrier passed by.
Finally some Fairy Martins posed for a photo ...
... or two.
Three large birds flying towards us turned out to be Brolgas.  They went a landed conveniently on a road and wandered up and down or a while.  On our first visit to WTP someone reckoned they wouldn't use Brolga as Bird of the Day as they see them every time they go there.  That has certainly proved to be true, and today the Zebbies clearly topped them.
A little later we found a group of two who were a good bit closer.
Our third set were even closer, and excited me by briefly dancing.  Nothing came of that!
Unless you count a chance to get a really close image!
Getting to the T section ponds the usual bunch of ducks were hauled out on a pontoon,
They got a little more attention when I picked some Pink-eared Ducks amongst them.
A flock of small birds turned out to be both cooperative and Golden-headed Cisticolas.

Leaving the T section and driving around the paddocks back towards the Austin Road Hide a group of Herons included 3 White-necked Herons.  They have started to return to the South East after heading inland to the floods.  Again, cooperative.
Another good bird was close to the Hide parking area with 2 Intermediate Egrets (and several Great Egrets).
By now most birds had got to "just another" status but these Yellow-billed Spoonbills were a nice addition to the day (and trip list.  On most days they would be a contender!
So that was that.  A very successful outing, scoring 56 species in total and adding Zebra Finch to my Victorian list.

The drive back was was quite pleasant (although mildly annoying to find cheaper diesel at the servos along the M1 than in Geelong, meaning I had wasted 30 kms, 20 minutes and about $4).

In the evening we visited the family with nice views of city buildings and lights.




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