Birdsong from Doongalla in The Dandenongs

You sort-of "had to be there" but I felt immersed in bush and birdsong at the Doongalla section of the Dandenong Ranges earlier last week. The video doesn't really do it justice (you may turn your speakers up a little ....)

What can you hear?

I do remember the first time I heard a Crimson rosella making its "Honky tonk" call. "What was that?" This was the first time I had been able to watch a bird at close range make the call. I was intrigued that such little bill movement was required for such a resonant piping!

Crimson rosella

Laughing kookaburra perching and stretching a wing. Another flew to the ground having spotted something of interest. 

Australian King-parrot

Eastern yellow robin not far from its nest

Not a great shot of a Red-browed treecreeper but I see these infrequently so this was a good day!

You can read more about the history of the Doongalla homestead here (go to page 3 of this pdf file which is a chapter from a local history written by a Richard Coxhill). The house was destroyed by bushfire in 1932 and the property eventually bought by the State Government. I cannot believe that it once looked like this:

Doongalla Homestead c1910 from Richard Coxhill's "History of the Basin" (photo credited to a Fergus Chandler)

Bird on!

Bunyip State Park - forest birds

I really enjoyed a visit to Bunyip State Park last Friday. In the picnic ground itself were good views of Dusky woodswallow and a nesting Olive-backed oriole near the amenities block. Exploring the marked trails heading north from Dyers Picnic Ground I found that:

• the mapped but not signposted Russells Track would have been a useful walking pad running parallel to a creek but was impassable due to growth (lyrebird heard in this area)
• Dyer Creek trail provided excellent birding with views of Scarlet honeyeater, Rufous fantail, Red-browed treecreeper, Eastern whipbird and a brief encounter with a male Lyrebird
• there was very little evidence in this area of severe damage from the 2009 bushfires (Parks Victoria states 40% of the park was burnt).
• the downloadable pdf file reads quite well on the iphone using the suggested Avenza pdf map reader app which positions you on the Parks Victoria map (useful on the unmarked trails)

Taken on 28 December this photo of a Rufous fantail would have to be one of my favourite pics for the year!

When I started seeing the tinciest of honeyeaters I wondered what I might see when a mature male showed up ...

Surprise! Scarlet honeyeater - a Victorian first for me!

Immature birds were a feature and I seemed to be seeing a lot of Red-browed finch without red brows.

I was thrilled when a subsequent sighting turned about to be Beautiful firetail:

Satin flycatcher (female)

Silvereye

An Olive-backed oriole was nesting in the dark green tree seen to the left of the amenities block.

Leaf litter, trail bike tracks and a Red-browed treecreeper

Dyer Creek Track is apparently used for trail bike riding (as is much of the Bunyip State Park). I heard distant motorbikes on 2-3 occasions but met no-one on my journey this day.

At right can be seen the large lizard that crossed Black Snake Creek Rd in front of the car.

I'll be back!

Bird on!