Hi all, an Australasian Grebe was reported from Travis Wetland today by Brenda Greene. I had a look this afternoon without success, however the sheep were being moved and all the birds were very flighty.
The two Cape Barren geese were still there with the canadian mob while the black-fronted dotterel reported recently were absent with not much exposed mud for them to use.
Happy Birding,
Fraser
P.S. It's about time Travis Wetland got it's own thread on the forum!
Travis Wetlands
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- GrahameNZ
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Re: Travis Wetlands
The BF Dott was on one of the small ponds behind the stockyards around mid day.
The other spot to look for it is at either end of the pond behind the info center.
There's also a hybrid Greylag x Canada with the Canadas.
And a hybrid Pied x Black Stilt.
The other spot to look for it is at either end of the pond behind the info center.
There's also a hybrid Greylag x Canada with the Canadas.
And a hybrid Pied x Black Stilt.
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Re: Travis Wetlands
Any location indication for the aust grebe sighting and cape barren geese?
Travis is rather big.
Travis is rather big.
- GrahameNZ
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Re: Travis Wetlands
I didn't spy the Grebe yesterday, but other times they've been there they are on the main pond, the bird hide is probably the best area to look from.
The Cape Barrens are mainly on the big southern paddock.
From the Beach Rd carpark walk round past the stockyards and the first paddock you come to on the left is their usual haunt.
More often than not reasonably close to the track.
They also quite like the northern end of the pond behind the info center.
They don't socialise with the Canadas.
When going round there you can also see into the main pond from the seat on your right just past the stockyards and from 3/4 of the way along the track by the Barrens paddock.
The Cape Barrens are mainly on the big southern paddock.
From the Beach Rd carpark walk round past the stockyards and the first paddock you come to on the left is their usual haunt.
More often than not reasonably close to the track.
They also quite like the northern end of the pond behind the info center.
They don't socialise with the Canadas.
When going round there you can also see into the main pond from the seat on your right just past the stockyards and from 3/4 of the way along the track by the Barrens paddock.
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Re: Travis Wetlands
Thanks for that Grahame, I'd just add that every time I've seen the Cape Barren Geese they've been with the Canada Geese - so the big Canada flock is a good place to start.
- AngryBird45
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Re: Travis Wetlands
I’m very sure the “grebe” is just a shag.
133 birds on my life list since 17 June 2020, latest bird Common Tern.
93 birds on my 2024 year list as of 6:50pm 13 January, latest bird Indian Peafowl.
15 y/o birder from the Waimak and Paradise Shelduck campaigner: facebook.com/paradiseshelduck.
93 birds on my 2024 year list as of 6:50pm 13 January, latest bird Indian Peafowl.
15 y/o birder from the Waimak and Paradise Shelduck campaigner: facebook.com/paradiseshelduck.
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Re: Travis Wetlands
It could be a shag but the observers are known to be reliable and even so it's still worth going for a look to see if it is a grebe. The more people report something unusual the better!
- AngryBird45
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Re: Travis Wetlands
It said “in shade unclear sighting”, so it most likely means the observer is going by shape.
133 birds on my life list since 17 June 2020, latest bird Common Tern.
93 birds on my 2024 year list as of 6:50pm 13 January, latest bird Indian Peafowl.
15 y/o birder from the Waimak and Paradise Shelduck campaigner: facebook.com/paradiseshelduck.
93 birds on my 2024 year list as of 6:50pm 13 January, latest bird Indian Peafowl.
15 y/o birder from the Waimak and Paradise Shelduck campaigner: facebook.com/paradiseshelduck.
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Re: Travis Wetlands
No sign of a crested grebe at Travis, but I came across a Spotless Crake today about 50m north of the observation tower on the western side of the boardwalk amongst Carex and swamp kiokio under willows and alongside a little channel of surface water.
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Re: Travis Wetlands
Spotless Crake in nearly the exact same spot this afternoon, this time just on the East of the boardwalk about 30m North of the tower. Extremely skulky and shy, heard it several times over an hour before it made a dash between two carex.