Month: January 2025

Big Zigzag Birding

week 028 | Leaving Melbourne and crossing the Bass Strait | trip list 457 – 459

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Bye bye Victoria, Tassie - here we come!

In an Eggshell:

  • Big Zigzag bird species count: 459 (+2 this week)
  • Big Zigzag bird families count: 86 (+1 this week: Albatrosses) 
  • Big Zigzag Lifers: 94 (+0 this week)
  • Campsite Lifers 23 (+0 this week)
  • Big Zigzag New for Australia list: 136 (+0 this week)
  • eBird days of checklist streak: 194
  • Week’s special milestones: none

Bird(s) of the Week

White-capped Albatross – 2 were seen during Bass Strait crossing

Short-tailed Shearwater – hundreds were seen from 2 point on the easter end of Great Ocean Road and during the Bass Strait crossing  

Short-tailed Shearwater

Hooded Plover. Disturbed by dogs, protected by volunteers who kindly explain the dog walkers about the vulnerability of this species and why they should walk their dogs on a leash on this beach.

Bell Miner (Manorina melanophrys) at Melbourne Royal Botanical Gardens

Non-bird image(s)

Crossing the Bass Strait

Hooded Plover. Disturbed by dogs, protected by volunteers who kindly explain the dog walkers about the vulnerability of this species and why they should walk their dogs on a leash on this beach.

Hooded Plovers protected nesting area

Week's Key location(s)

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria

Bass strait – Geelong – Devenport “Pelagic” – Spirit of Tasmania

Big Zigzag Travelled so far: 22800 km (this week 850 km)

eBird Checklists this week

1615. 25 Jan 2025 12:47 PM AU (-38.631, 144.796), Mornington Peninsula (Bass Strait)
1614. 25 Jan 2025 11:34 AM No 6 Channel Marker, Mornington Peninsula (Bass Strait)
1613. 24 Jan 2025 11:21 AM Fishermans Beach, Surf Coast
1612. 24 Jan 2025 9:07 AM Anglesea Heath–Hammond Rd b/w Camping Area
1611. 23 Jan 2025 12:15 PM Point Roadknight, Surf Coast
1610. 22 Jan 2025 4:24 PM Anderson Reserve, Greater Geelong
1609. 22 Jan 2025 11:58 AM Moolap Saltworks–Pump-house, Greater Geelong
1608. 21 Jan 2025 9:00 AM Clayton South

1607. 20 Jan 2025 10:48 AM Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne

1606. 19 Jan 2025 10:39 AM Lake Weeroona
Big Zigzag Index
Big Zigzag Birding

week 027 | North to Melbourne | trip list 449 – 457

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Approaching and quick crossing of Murray River

In an Eggshell:

  • Big Zigzag bird species count: 457 (+8 this week)
  • Big Zigzag bird families count: 85 (+1 this week: Rollers) 
  • Big Zigzag Lifers: 94 (+3 this week: Turquoise Parrot, White-throated Needletail, Little Buttonquail)
  • Campsite Lifers 23 (+0 this week)
  • Big Zigzag New for Australia list: 136 (+3 this week)
  • eBird days of checklist streak: 187
  • Week’s special milestones: Big Zigzag bird #450

Bird(s) of the Week

Turquoise Parrot (Neophema pulchella), not just a beautiful lifer – also the 450th Big Zigzag bird, which happens to be seen after 6 months of zigzagging… Encouraging to see many property owners around Warby-Ovens National Park participating in Practical Parrot Action Project which helps this threatened bird.

This week new bird family for the trip – Rollers with Dollarbird – from a quicky visit to New South Wales.

Noman land Long-billed Corellas, on the bridge over Murray River, between the sister towns of Echuca (Victoria) and Moama (New South Wales).

Azure Kingfisher

Non-bird image(s)

Moama Wetlands and Horseshoe Lagoon, Murray, New South Wales

Pink Rocks

Week's Key location(s)

Warby-Ovens National Park – Turquoise Parrot stronghold.

Not the best place for White-throated Needletail as they fly high above – but this is where I ticked them…

Big Zigzag Travelled so far: 21950 km (this week 945 km)

eBird Checklists this week

1605. 18 Jan 2025 11:56 PM Possums Track, Terrick Terrick
1604. 18 Jan 2025 12:10 PM Campaspe River Walk, Rochester
1603. 17 Jan 2025 7:14 PM Moama Wetlands and Horseshoe Lagoon, Murray, New South Wales
1602. 17 Jan 2025 9:20 AM Moama Wetlands and Horseshoe Lagoon, Murray, New South Wales
1601. 16 Jan 2025 7:39 PM Rotary Park (Echuca)
1600. 16 Jan 2025 11:00 AM Port of Echuca
1599. 15 Jan 2025 10:41 AM Pink Cliffs Natural Features Reserve, Greater Bendigo
1598. 15 Jan 2025 9:39 AM Meadow Valley Road, Mia Mia, Victoria, AU (-36.939, 144.602)

1597. 14 Jan 2025 6:46 AM Greater Bendigo National Park–Diamond Dove Dam

1596. 13 Jan 2025 4:56 PM Greater Bendigo National Park–Camp Road Dam
1595. 13 Jan 2025 9:02 AM Warby-Ovens National Park–Nason Springs
1594. 12 Jan 2025 11:46 AM Warby-Ovens National Park–Nason Springs
Big Zigzag Index
Big Zigzag Birding

week 026 | East to Melbourne | trip list 449 – 449

Posted on

The Middle of Everywhere

In an Eggshell:

  • Big Zigzag bird species count: 449 (+0 this week)
  • Big Zigzag bird families count: 84 (+0 this week) 
  • Big Zigzag Lifers: 91 (+0 this week)
  • Campsite Lifers 23 (+0 this week)
  • Big Zigzag New for Australia list: 131 (+0 this week)
  • eBird days of checklist streak: 180
  • Week’s special milestones: None

Bird(s) of the Week

The Middle of Everywhere. This is Central Gippsland promo slogan, which fits this Big Zigzag week, after 6 months. Somewhere in the middle of Victoria, between the golden beaches an Australian Alpine mountains, near the lakes along the sore. In between, as these Yellow-billed & Royal Spoonbills, resting on the wetlands of Sale.

White-winged Chough (Corcorax melanorhamphos) one of the two members family of White-winged Chough and Apostlebird (Corcoracidae). This family is one of the seven Australian endemic bird families, and the easier to complete. Also called Australian mud-nest builders.

White-winged Chough nest

Non-bird image(s)

Alpine National Park

Wilsons Promontory National Park

Week's Key location(s)

Wilsons Promontory National Park

Alpine National Park

Sale River Heritage & Wetlands Trail

Big Zigzag Travelled so far: 21055 km (this week 835 km)

eBird Checklists this week

1593. 11 Jan 2025 5:31 PM Smoko Camping Area
1592. 10 Jan 2025 2:51 PM Italian Flat, Wellington
1591. 10 Jan 2025 10:15 AM Port of Maffra
1590. 09 Jan 2025 7:35 AM Fishers Riverside Campsite (Perry Bridge)
1589. 08 Jan 2025 12:42 PM Sale Common Nature Conservation Reserve
1588. 08 Jan 2025 9:30 AM Bellbird Corner

1587. 07 Jan 2025 3:29 PM Apex Park (Stratford)

1586. 06 Jan 2025 6:27 PM 25 Main Street, Glengarry, Victoria, AU (-38.125, 146.573)
1585. 06 Jan 2025 10:13 AM 128 Boolarra-Foster Road, Foster, Victoria, AU (-38.632, 146.232)
1584. 05 Jan 2025 1:44 PM Wilsons Promontory National Park–Lilly Pilly Gully
Big Zigzag Index
Big Zigzag Birding

week 025 | Around Melbourne | trip list 443 – 449

Posted on

Mountains and Woods, Penguins and the Ocean

In an Eggshell:

  • Big Zigzag bird species count: 449 (+6 this week)
  • Big Zigzag bird families count: 84 (+1 this week: Penguins, Shearwaters and Petrels) 
  • Big Zigzag Lifers: 91 (+0 this week)
  • Campsite Lifers 23 (+0 this week)
  • Big Zigzag New for Australia list: 131 (+3 this week)
  • eBird days of checklist streak: 173
  • Week’s special milestones: Travelled so far milage passed the 20000 km

Bird(s) of the Week

Little Penguin under St. Kilda Pier

White-rumped Sandpiper from the “Crakes Pond” at Western Treatment Plant

Pectoral Sandpiper from the same magic pond

Cape Barren Geese were not allowed to enter the motorhome with muddy feet 

Thousands Great Crested Tern at Philip Island

One Great Crested Tern at Philip Island

Non-bird image(s)

Kurth Kiln Regional Park

Nobbies Centre Philip Island

Nobbies Centre Philip Island

Week's Key location(s)

Western Treatment Plant

Little Penguin site, under St. Kilda Pier edge

Nobbies Centre at Philip Island is a great birding spot

Big Zigzag Travelled so far: 20220 km (this week 650 km)

eBird Checklists this week

1583. 04 Jan 2025 4:49 PM The Nobbies (Philip Island)
1582. 04 Jan 2025 8:55 AM Yarra State Forest–Big Pats Creek Picnic Area
1581. 03 Jan 2025 11:01 PM Yarra State Forest–Big Pats Creek Picnic Area
1580. 03 Jan 2025 2:30 PM Yarra Ranges National Park–10 Mile Picnic Area
1579. 02 Jan 2025 5:42 PM Kurth Kiln Regional Park

1578. 02 Jan 2025 8:59 AM Kurth Kiln Regional Park

1577. 01 Jan 2025 1:12 PM Memorial Oval, Edithvale
1576. 31 Dec 2024 6:16 PM St Kilda Pier
1575. 31 Dec 2024 11:25 AM Allisons Road, Clonbinane, Victoria, AU (-37.321, 145.17)
1574. 30 Dec 2024 4:46 PM Allisons Road, Clonbinane, Victoria, AU (-37.321, 145.17)
1573. 29 Dec 2024 11:08 AM Western Treatment Plant–T Section Ponds
1572. 29 Dec 2024 7:31 AM Western Treatment Plant–Ponds 28-30 and Adjacent Coast
Big Zigzag Index