Sunday 1 September 2013

Day 1 of Spring at the WTP

Day 1 of spring and I had not been to the Western Treatment Plant for a while so headed there to see what was about. It was very quiet. Very few waders were present in the usual places, due, I suspect, to a combination of high winds and very full ponds, though I did see several small flocks huddled on the outer sand banks at The Spit.

There was the odd surprise with appearance of solo egrets and herons

Eastern Great Egret, Lake Borrie Coastal Road, Western Treatment Plant
Little Egret, Little River Causeway, Western Treatment Plant 
White-necked Heron, 145WA Lagoon, Western Treatment Plant

The usual pelicans, swans and cormorants that frequent Lake Borrie were missing today but some had opted for the more sheltered shore of Port Phillip Bay

Pied Cormorant, Great Cormorant, Silver Gull, Western Treatment Plant
Australian Pelican, Pied Cormorant, Western Treatment Plant
Black Swan, Western Treatment Plant
Little Black Cormorant, Western Treatment Plant

and some of the pelicans put on a formation flying display

Australian Pelican, Western Treatment Plant

Several White-fronted Chats darted about on the beach and shrubs

White-fronted Chat (male), Western Treatment Plant

The last bit of excitement was the first snake for the year as this Tiger Snake crossed the road just in front of the car but slowly enough for me to get out and snap one shot.

Tiger Snake, Western Treatment Plant

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