[MKinHK]

I will be visiting Melbourne and spending a few days in Port Fairy between 15-25 May.

I am hoping to join the pelagic out of Port Fairy on either 20 or 21st ,but would welcome recommendations on other good birding sites and what are the regional specialities to look for, as well as online resources where I can do some homework.

Cheers
Mike Kilburn
Hong Kong

[Joshua-B]

Hi Mike

Check out eremaea (http://www.eremaea.com/) - use the "great places to go birding" link on the left to locate places near where you're going to be. If it was me, I'd be aiming for the Victorian coastal specialities, such as Hooded Plover, Rufous Bristlebird, Blue-winged Parrot. If possible, try and arrange entry to the Western Treatment Plant (best done by contacting a birder in Melbourne and getting them to take you), as WTP is by far one of the best birding sites in Australia. As well as Australian waders, ducks, terns, gulls, etc, you have a chance at Orange-bellied Parrot (very unlikely, but always worth a shot!)

My 3 main recommendations for Melbourne would be:
Western Treatment Plant (Werribee, awesome variety of birds)
Point Addis (Rufous Bristlebird, on the way to Port Fairy)
You-Yangs (Swift Parrot, honeyeaters, various bush birds)

Remember to check out birdline (http://www.eremaea.com/BirdlineRecen...spx?Birdline=1), which will give you latest sightings. Definitely try to get out on a pelagic - they had a New Zealand Storm Petrel a few weeks ago (only recently re-discovered). I can't help you any more, as I don't know of any places to go birding around Port Fairy! :)

If you give me a list of any specific birds you'd want, I can try and give you some other places to look

Josh

[MKinHK]

Many thanks Josh - much appreciated

Mike

[MKinHK]

I'm now in Port Fairy and despite the disappointment of the pelagic being cancelled I am staying in a house overlooking the ocean, and have seen some good seabirds including Shy and Black-Browed Albatrosses.

My question relates to a Giant Petrel which is also knocking about - It's an all black bird with a bill tat hints at being slightly darker on the tip. I am getting scope views at about 500 metres. Is there any chance at all of nailing this to species?

Cheers
Mike

[Joshua-B]

Nope, doubt it sorry
If you can get a photo, it may be possible

[MKinHK]

Thanks anyway Josh

Cheers
Mike

[ClarkWGriswold]

Hi Mike. It's been a couple of years since we've been in that area but I vaguely remember a reserve in a (big) crater when we were there. We didn't have much time there but it was very interesting - emus, koalas etc.

Not sure if it's the right time of the year but you can get blue whales not far from Port Fairy.

Hope you have a great trip,

Rich

[MKinHK]

Many thanks Clark

Sadly no pelagic meant no chance of whales of any sort (the Right Whales had not yet arrived), but I did find Tower Hill State Reserve and scored accordingly with the Koalas Emus and Kangaroos. I've posting a trip report here:

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=231200

Cheers
Mike

[John_WA]

Originally Posted by MKinHK

My question relates to a Giant Petrel which is also knocking about - It's an all black bird with a bill tat hints at being slightly darker on the tip. I am getting scope views at about 500 metres. Is there any chance at all of nailing this to species?

Re. the giant-petrel - being all dark it's a young bird, so the bill tip colour is the only feature to separate the two species. At a distance, the reddish bill tip of a Northern tends to make the bill look dark-tipped, whereas the green tip of a Southern tends to make the bill appear uniform. So your description is better for Northern, but it would be tough/impossible to say with absolute certainty (I've managed to ID probably about 10-15% of young giant-petrels I've seen from shore)

[MKinHK]

That's pretty much where I came out John - but thanks for the analysis and the confirmation of the difficulty of this ID implicit in your own rate of confident ID.

Cheers
Mike

[MKinHK]

I had some company at my seawatching post . . .

http://youtu.be/otfSIE3gjfA

Cheers
Mike

[Allen S. Moore]

Originally Posted by MKinHK

I had some company at my seawatching post . . .

http://youtu.be/otfSIE3gjfA

Cheers
Mike

Ah, a great song. I always know that I have woken up in Australia when I hear that!