2 Feb bird survey
Lack of rain during the last two months or so is desiccating the park, and dieback of understory vegetation is common. Nevertheless, in these harsh dry conditions bird diversity remains high, although numbers are down for some species, most notably honeyeaters especially the White-plumed…
5 January bird survey
The number of bird species recorded today was high with a good tally of 52 species, but aside from Brown Quail they are all species regularly found in Westgate Park. In stark contrast almost every species under Opportunistic Sightings are rare or infrequent visitors…
1 Dec bird survey
Although unseasonal weather suppressed bird activity during this survey, leading to a lower than usual species count, there were some interesting observations. The number of Welcome Swallows is significantly higher than all recent surveys since February 2024 with an estimated 80 counted. Moreover, half…
10 Nov bird survey
Today’s survey took place in poor weather although the rain held off. However, general rains and accidental flows over the last six weeks have filled both major water bodies. The greater depth discourages several water bird species and there are few mudflats for waders…
6 Oct bird survey
The September photo gallery below shows that this has been an outstanding month for bird observations in Westgate Park. However, what started as an unpromising October day, concluded with a near ‘personal-best’ figure for the Westgate survey team. The last time we recorded a…
1 Sept bird survey
Recent rains have raised water levels, eliminating much of the shoreline habitat – accordingly, no dotterels were sighted this survey. The highlight of the day was a Mistletoe-bird (above) frequenting a spray of Wiry Mistletoe growing in one of the park’s largest and oldest…
4 August bird survey
Recent rains have re-invigorated the park, with recent monthly surveys registering 60 bird species or more, but for today and over July the total has dropped slightly to 58. Today’s survey revealed some notable sightings including the Powerful Owl still present in the park…
7 July bird survey
With cold weather in the offing, the surveyors expected a modest result, but in fact were very pleased. There are large numbers of waterfowl in the freshwater lake, and far more than usual along the saltwater shoreline. Despite the advent of rain, both major…
2 June bird survey
An issue of concern as reported by Ursula is that the number of surviving Black Swan cygnets is diminishing and now down to three from an original total of six (5 on 23/5 and 4 on 26/5). The cause of this decline is most…
5 May bird survey
Water levels in the main lakes continue to fall, which probably encourages waders, such as egrets and herons, to return to the park. The Black Swans have just reared six cygnets, which is unusual in abnormally dry conditions we are now experiencing. In other…