Bird on a Wire...

...and a pole and a fence...Yesterday's jaunt saw us headed back to Breakwater to have - in my case - another look at the aqueduct. With all the recent rain it was as boggy as I have ever seen it. The cisticolas were up and about despite the rather chilly conditions, but there was little sign of most of the other birds usually around.

Golden-headed Cisticola

We squelched our way along to the end of Boundary Road and back then headed over to the aqueduct. We hadn't made it too far along the track before we were confronted by not one, but two raptors. It is not uncommon to see them circling over head or - on one occasion - perched on the aqueduct itself. These two however were on the wire fence only a short distance from us - although still a little too far for the limited zoom capacity of my camera. As we approached, they moved along the fence, keeping us at a distance, but not keen to take flight.
This of course allowed for some reasonable shots, which I duly took. Exhibit A was a Nankeen Kestrel

Nankeen Kestrel

which kept a close eye on us, but then found something of interest in the bushes growing along the fence and hopped down briefly from its post to investigate.

Nankeen Kestrel flapping about in the bushes

The second bird was a Black-shouldered Kite which seemed a little less concerned by our presence than the kestrel, but was none-the-less watchful, prefering in general to keep an eye on us from the safety of a convenient pole when we approached the fence too closely.

Black-shouldered Kite

Pole-sitting however, was not without its difficulties as the kite discovered. Its initial attempts to perch resulted in a certain amount of flapping around and resettling before it got its balance sorted.

Black-shouldered Kite attempting to balance on the top of a pole



Tinker, tailor...

With the weather turning cooler and wetter last week, I didn't get to the river to search out any fodder for my blog, however this week, things have turned pleasant again weatherwise so I have been out and about. On Tuesday I dragged out the bike and rode the trail down to Buckley Falls and back via Breakwater. It was a pleasant ride and I counted 35 different species of birds, most of them relatively common. Interesting, but not exactly thrilling blog material.
On Thursday, in search of something a little different, I headed to the aqueduct. I haven't been to that part of the river for a few months - mostly because of the long grass during summer. As we saw recently, I have no difficulty finding snakes on clear, frequently used paths in autumn, so I didn't fancy chancing my luck on seldom-used, overgrown goat tracks in the middle of summer!
Even on this occasion I was suitably cautious.
Firstly I wandered down the rutted track which is the end of Boundary Road all the way to the river. I could hear Spotted Marsh Frogs in all directions, but as usual had no luck er...spotting one. Somewhat surprisingly as the weather was mild and there was only a gentle breeze, there were very few birds around. Usually this area is a hive of activity and I often see birds here which I don't see on other parts of the river.
Of course there were the usual New Holland Honey Eaters, Superb Fairy-wrens, a Mudlark and a couple of Magpies, but nothing less common - with one exception. The Golden-headed Cisticola. They were everywhere. This is the only part of the river on which I have found them, but I can be pretty much guaranteed that I will either see or hear them on any occasion I am in the area.

Golden-headed Cisticola

These little guys are amongst my favourite birds to photograph. The way they grab the reeds they hide amongst can make for some rather comical shots. They are somewhat cautious and won't let me get too close, however when they perceive I am at a safe distance, the males happily hop about amongst the foliage, all the while keeping a close eye on me.

Golden-headed Cisticola

They are also quite vocal and their call is rather distinctive, it's most noticeable characteristic being a high-pitched, drawn out squeak. To my ear it sounds much like the noise I remember a frog making as it was being eviscerated by the cat when I was a kid.

Golden-headed Cisticola

A little research tells me that these guys are also known as Tailorbirds for their habit of stitching leaves to the outside of their nest. Like Willie Wagtails, they use fine grasses and cobwebs in the construction along with other soft material which is used to line the nest.

Golden-headed Cisticola, rear view

They eat insects and seeds from amongst the bushes in which they hide and are non-migratory, staying put year-round which explains why they are always there when I am. They seem to have a preference for the shrubs and reeds which grow along the edge of the track to the river, rather than those nearer the aqueduct.
I did wander over in that direction and managed to get a few blurry photos of a raptor which circled overhead and perched briefly on one of the concrete piers. It took off again before I could get close enough for a decent shot and then reappeared circling above for several minutes, but at no time close enough to get a better photo. As best I can tell, it was probably a Brown Falcon, but I couldn't be sure.

Can't go over it, can't go under it, can't go round it...

About a week ago I headed off to explore a section of the Barwon I had previously only seen at a distance - the aqueduct. As I described in a previous post, the ovoid sewer aqueduct over the Barwon is a concrete truss construction built between 1913 and 1916 to carry waste from Geelong to Black Rock where it emptied into the sea.

Ovoid sewer aqueduct over the Barwon River

The aqueduct was in use until 1993 when it was replaced by a new sewer main running under the river which operates via a pump-boosted gravity system, providing a cost-effective and technologically innovative solution to Geelong's sewage needs. A more detailed description of the new system can be found on the following page: A Boost For Geelong.
The aqueduct still stands as an historic monument, mostly hidden from public view, but still accessible if you know how. As the title of this blog suggests however, viewing is all that is currently possible. Whilst there is a walkway across the top of the pipe, the concrete of the structure is in such poor condition that it is unsafe to approach it. This has occurred due to the loss of calcium from the concrete of the structure which has rendered it brittle and crumbling. This means not only can it not be crossed, but it is not possible to pass under the structure either.
The aqueduct is heritage listed and is a spectacular example of early 20th century engineering in Australia, however its very poor state of repair means that no-one is currently prepared to foot the no doubt substantial bill for its restoration. It can only be hoped that with the proximity of the new Armstrong Creek development on the south side of the river, the aqueduct will be seen as a useful feature to be incorporated into the new development - perhaps in the form of a pedestrian crossing point in an extended Barwon River trail, leading down from Breakwater. For now however, this would seem to be nothing more than a...pipe dream!
In addition to visiting the aqueduct, we went for a wander down the track which is the end of Boundary Road. I hadn't been here before either. It is heavily rutted with rubbish dumped here and there to either side. At this time of year and with no recent rain, it was quite walkable, with only the very last approach to the river somewhat squishy, however this was mitigated by some conveniently laid planks.

"Greenbanks", Marshall

From here, there is a distant view of the aqueduct, but most notable is the historic homestead "Greenbanks" where I believe I stayed once or twice in my teens. Sited on the Marshall side of the river, this privately-owned property was originally the owner's home associated with the Braealy Brothers Australian Tannery complex, the ruins of which can be seen nearby.
Otherwise, there isn't a great deal to see on this part of the river. This is, after all, a flood plain, meaning that it is flat, wide and marshy. What I did notice however, is that the variety of bird life is somewhat different to other areas and I was able to spot a number of birds I hadn't seen  - see my bird page for updates. The new additions were Yellow-rumped Thornbills which I'd seen elsewhere but not along the river, White-faced Chats, a single Horsefield's Bronze Cuckoo, Black-shouldered Kites and more notable for their calls than their visibility - Little Grassbirds and Golden-headed Cisticolas. Hopefully I can continue to add to the tally.