BOCA Challenge Count

A late posting this one, but just wanted to write about the BOCA (Bird Observation and Conservation Australia) Challenge count in early December. Birding pal Matt Weeks and I clocked up 162 species in about 10 hours from Beechworth, across to Chiltern, Rutherglen, Boorhaman, Warby Ranges and Lake Mokoan. It was a real good day to get a snapshot of how local birds are doing and to check out local conditions. We had a few highlights.

Plumed Whistling-Ducks (above) were seen at 4 sites. These ones were at the old quarry swamp near Rutherglen and were actually breeding with ducklings. It has been a great year for this species locally.

The resident, though often hard to see Bush Stone-Curlews (see above, distance shot) were luckily found at the Rutherglen Research Station (DPI Victoria).

Many birds were breeding as well in wetlands such as Grey Teal, Pacific Black Duck, Black-winged Stilt and Australasian Grebe (see above).

Click on the link below to see a species list from Eremaea Birds.

http://www.eremaea.com/Lists.aspx?List=72418