Friday foray 18Dec20 Healesville Sanctuary

The busy time of year and a fairly poor weather forecast, had the effect of just three forayers exploring the beautiful Healesville Sanctuary as our final expedition for the year. The weather mostly held off, the effect of covid and the end of the school year all contributed to very comfortable day in splendid surroundings.

I have to say that, as is my wont, I tended to focus my attention on the avian creatures a few of which retrieved some memories of a few years back. It was wonderful to see Gouldian Finches and Star Finches up close again. Aeons ago, I used to breed these and other endangered Aussie finches.

Left: Gouldian Finch   Right: Star Finch

             Also, some years back now, the scarce Scarlet-chested Parrot was recorded at Gluepot Reserve in South Australia. On two of my expeditions to that reserve, I recall spending several days trying to track this bird down, with very little success. I managed a decent view of a female but the male was always too distant for a decent look. At the sanctuary on Friday, a male Scarlet-chested Parrot flew out from the closed-in section of the aviary and commenced feeding on the ground in front of us. 

Left: Female Scarlet-chested Parrot, Gluepot Reserve   Right: Male, Healesville Sanctuary

             The Helmeted Honeyeater is Victoria’s bird emblem. This bird is critically endangered with numbers in the wild being as low as 50 birds in 1990. A captive breeding and release program conducted by the Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater, has helped boost the numbers to a degree. Release sites within Yelingbo NCR and Bunyip SP have seen wild populations stabilize a little. Helmeted Honeyeaters and Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters are notoriously difficult to tell apart.

Helmeted Honeyeater

             The wetlands enclosure at Healesville is always worth a visit. The ducks, herons, et al, are always obliging photographers with classic poses. To me it is a rare privilege to be able to photograph a Pied Heron or Black-necked Stork, etc. 

Pied Heron

             Tired and weary, we meandered our way home to Drouin through the beautiful Yarra Ranges and Powelltown Forest.

This link should take you to a Google Drive gallery showing some more of today’s birds, most of which we don’t see in West Gippsland.