STRIATED THORNBILL

510            STRIATED THORNBILL            Acanthiza lineata 

Australia           (352)

10 cm. Found in wetter eucalypt forest/woodlands to mallee; mangroves, parks, gardens. Range along coast inland to w. slopes from Biloela (Q) down and across to Adelaide, includes most of Victoria.

OSTRICH

Photographed on the Deniliquin-Barham Road February 2015.

509       OSTRICH            Struthio camelus

Australia          (351)

This looks like one from my South African list, but its not. Ostriches are now listed on the Australian list; it was introduced from Africa after 1896 and there are a few small feral populations which have become estblished. One of these in South Australian Younghusband Pen. and these near Deniliquin/Barham in NSW. 1.75-2.75 cm, largest of all living birds. Found on pastoral lands, open mulga, saltbush, bluebush, grassed sand plains and dunes.

Birdlife Australia ....... "For several decades, several generations of Ostriches has been free to roam on farmland alongside the Barham-Caldwell Road. They can be regarded as wild."

COMMON SANDPIPER

Photographed at Altona, Victoria February 2015

508           COMMON SANDPIPER           Actitis hypoleucos

Australia           (350)

19-22 cm. Breeds from British Isles to e. Siberia and n. Japan: winters s. Europe, Africa, India, s. and se. Asia to Indonesia, PNG, vagrant to NZ, regular, widespread but uncommon visitor to Australia; all Aust, except driest inland. Found in shallow, pebbly, muddy or sandy edges of rivers and streams, coastal to far inland; dams, lakes, sewerage farms, margins of tidal rivers, waterways in mangroves or salt marshes, mudflats, rocky or sandy beaches, causeways, riverside lawns, drains, street gutters.

PURPLE-CROWNED LORIKEET

Photographed near Serendip Sanctuary, Victoria Febrauary 2015; not a good picture but will replace with better eventually

507            PURPLE-CROWNED LORIKEET            Glossopsitta porphyrocephala

Australia          (348)

15-17 cm. Found in eucalyptus woodlands, drier forests on foothills, plains, roadside timber, shelter-belts, timbered watercourses, bush dams. Ranges across southern mainland, e. Victoria to s. WA, coastal to Geraldton; inland to s. riverina-mallee areas of sw. NSW; s. Flonders Ranges(SA); G. Vict. Desert-McKenzies-Payne’s Find (WA).

Next three photographs were taken along entry road to Eyre Bird Observatory, Western Australia, March 2015

EURASIAN TREE-SPARROW

Photographed in and around Serandip Sanctuary, Victoria, February 2015.

506           EURASIAN TREE-SPARROW          Passer montanus

  

Australia            (347)

Found in suburbs, rural towns, farm buildings/homesteads. 13-15 cm. Native to Eurasia, s. to Phiippines, e. Indonesia. Introduced to Australia from 1860s; established in Melbourne and towns from c. Dimboola (w. Vic) and Hay (NSW) north to Narromine-Gilgandra; east to Cowra-ACT-Albury.

FAIRY TERN

Photographed at Werribee Treatment Plant, February 2015

505           FAIRY TERN             Sterna nereis

Australia         (346)

21-25 cm, wingspan c. 50 cm. Found in coastal waters, bays, inlets, saline or bracken lakes, salt fields, sewerage ponds near coast. Predominantly an Australian species; ranges around coast of WA, SA, Vic and Tasmania, and pocket in Queensland on Tropic.

WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN

Photographed at Werribee Treatment Plant, February 2015, in non-breeding plumage, when breeding turn black with white wings.

504         WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN               Chlidonias leucopterus

Australia          (345)

22-24 cm, wingspan 66 cm. Found in large wetlands, coastal and inland, salt fields, sewerage ponds, estuaries, coastal waters. Breeds in Eurasia, migrates to Africa, s. and e. Asia, Indonesia, PNG, NZ; non-breeding migrant to to se. Australia, at times well inland on extensive freshwater wetlands. ranges from Perth north across top, down east coast and across to Adelaide, often inland, hence s.NSW and all Victoria, n. and e. coast Tasmania.

COMMON TERN

Photographed at Werribee Wetlands, February 2015.

503          COMMON TERN            Sterna hirundo

Australia         (344)

Despite its name it it not widely 'common' in Australia; Ranges around the coast of the mainland from Broome, across the north and down east coast to Adelaide; breeds across the northern hemisphere and migrates to Australia for the summer. Found in offshore waters, beaches, reefs, bays, estuaries, sandblast, salt fields, sewerage ponds and freshwater wetlands. 32-38 cm, wingspan 80 cm.

WHITE-THROATED NEEDLETAIL

Photographed over Distillery Creek Picnic area, Airey Inlet, Victoria February 2015.

502          WHITE-THROATED NEEDLETAIL          Hirundapus caudacutus

Australia      (343)

Also known as Spine-tailed Swift. 19-21 cm. Breeds w. Siberia, Himalayas e. to Japan; regular summer visitor to e. Australia; found down eastern quarter of mainland and in Tasmania. Habitat is airspace over forests, woodlands, farmlands, plains, lakes, coasts, towns, feeding parties often patrol along favoured hilltops and timbered ranges. Loose parties to large flocks, often appear before unsettled weather, feeding on rising insects.have been observed from aircraft at c. 2000 feet above sea level over Aust. Alps. Airspeed when overtaken at c. 1000 feet above sea level was c. 100-125 km/h.

BLACK BUTCHERBIRD

Photographed in the Daintree, September 2013

501          BLACK BUTCHERBIRD              Cracticus quoyi

Australia           (342)

Habitats include subtropical or tropical dry forests, moist lowland forests, and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests. 40-44 cm. Range coastal n. and ne. Aust., from Port Keats(NT)-Top End-Arnhem Land, inland c. 50 kimono rivers. C. York Pen.(Q) s. to Archer River in w. coastally s. to c. Rockhampton.

GANG-GANG COCKATOO

Photographed at Airey Inlet, Victoria February 2015

500        GANG-GANG COCKATOO            Callocephalon fimbriatum

Australia         (341)

33-36 cm. Found in wetter forrests and woodlands, from sea-level to over 2000 m on Divide; timbered foothills and valleys; timbered watercourses, coastal scrubs, farmlands, suburban gardens. Range se. mainland Australia, from mid n. coast, Hunter Region and c. Tablelands (NSW) s. to w. Vict. ; inland to Merriwa-Bathurst-Wagga (NSW) e. and c. Vict. and adjacent se. SA.

PECTORAL SANDPIPER

Photographed at Werribee Wetlands, Victoria February 2015

499          PECTORAL SANDPIPER           Calidris melanotos

Australia           (340)

19-23 cm. Breeds ne. Siberia and American Arctic: most migrate to S. America, but some to Japan, Pacific Islands, PNG, NZ and Aust., mostly to se mainland from Adelaide to Brisbane, Tasmania, sw WA up near Shark Bay, top of WA across to Darwin, around Cooktown (Q). Found in shallow freshwater, often with low grass or other herbage, swamp margins, flooded pastures, sewerage ponds, occasionally taidal areas and salt marshes.

LONG-TOED STINT

Photographed at Werribee Wetlands, Victoria, February 2015

498          LONG-TOED STINT            Calidris subminuta

Australia         (339)

13-15 cm. breeds in Siberia to far N. Pacic: migrates to s. and se. Asia; PNG; Regular but uncommon visitor to inland and coastal Aust.; range is coastal WA, except south from about Esperance; most of NT except sw corner; w. half of Q; most of SA except w.; most NSW except ne. corner; and a;ll Victoria. Found tussocky, weedy margins of shallow wetlands, coastal and inland, sewerage ponds, weed on tidelines, tidal mudflats.