As can be seen in today’s results, the survey was very rewarding. After several dry months, there has been reasonable rainfall over the last few weeks. Unusual sightings today were four very elusive Brown Quail, Little Grassbirds calling on the edge of the Large Freshwater Lake, at least three Tree Martins in flight in the vicinity of the windmill and a male Powerful Owl roosting in a blackwood a short distance north of the dam.
The Powerful Owl was our bird of the day, with the four Brown Quail as runners-up for second. This is only the second known record of a Powerful Owl visiting the park since our regular surveys began in 2007. The previous record was on 12 and 13 May 2021. Single Powerful Owls occasionally visit parks in inner Melbourne in the winter months for short periods to no doubt feed on the plentiful numbers of possums before moving on to their typical forest habitats. The owl that visited Westgate Park in 2021 was seen with a Ringtail Possum.
After several months we can presume that Red-browed Finches are gradually strengthening their numbers almost to the point of becoming residents in the park. They are now frequently seen in small groups of up to ten birds. Also pleasing were the sightings of three Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters, a species that regularly overwinters in the park.