Mud Islands excursion—revised bird list 
...Craig Morley 
This bird list supplements the list published in the previous Geelong Naturalist. 35 species for the excursion; for Mud Islands 30 
species (including beachcast Little Penguin) with 6 species breeding and 1 species (Royal Spoonbill) showing indication of breeding. 
Common Name 
No. 
Ruddy Turnstone 
1 
Popes Eye. Loafing on bluestone annulus amongst Gannets. Detected in photo viewed after visit. 
Great Knot 
2 
Mud Islands. In flock of 37 shorebirds offshore S end of Boatswain Island. Identified amongst flock by more rotund 
appearance and proportionately longer bill. 
Jaeger sp. 
1 
S Channel Fort. Brief views, in poor conditions, of a jaeger with a bulkier body and broader wings than an Arctic Jaeger 
flying to SE OH. Possible Pomarine Jaeger. 
Crested Tern 
500e 
S Channel Fort. In 2 colonies, many with scrapes, at least some with 1 or 2 eggs. B 
Silver Gull 
50e 
Mud Islands. Surprisingly few birds. Some at edge of Caspian Tern colony on sandbar to S of Boatswain Island. 
750e 
S Channel Fort. Many nests with eggs and some with chicks and low number of runners. Also some ads hanging 
around the edges of the Crested Tern colonies. B 
lOe 
Popes Eye. 
GFNC excursion—Balyang Sanctuary 
19 January 2013 
W hen Captain Foster Fyans was appointed as Police 
Magistrate to Geelong district in 1837, he set up 
camp at present day Fyansford and began the process of 
siting the township. He rejected the initial proposal to site 
the town at Point Henry and established the town beside 
the Barwon River. He organised the construction of a 
breakwater to ensure a supply of fresh water untainted by 
the tidal flow that originally moved all the way to below 
Buckley’s Falls. 
Balyang was an aboriginal man who guided and 
accompanied Capt. Fyans in the early days. By 1845, 
Fyans had purchased land beside the Barwon River to 
build his home which he named ‘Bellbird Balyang’. Floods 
forced him to abandon the site—some of the bluestone 
was used to build what is now Redpath’s Antiques in 
Shannon Avenue. 
Fyan’s Swamp, and the surrounding flood plain, was 
reserved by the City of Newtown in 1959. The old Princes 
Bridge crossed the Barwon at the end of Marnock Rd. The 
new bridge was opened in 1965, on an elevated roadway 
...Barry Lingham 
at the extension of Shannon Avenue. In 1970, a plan was 
adopted for a new park and Balyang Sanctuary was 
officially opened in 1973. The area had always been a 
haven for water birds, but the new ponds helped extend 
the available wetlands. Modifications to the inlet to the 
main pond and the creation of an extensive reed bed 
system in the past 10 years improved the water quality of 
the wetland. 
Today, we are privileged to enjoy a wetland and park that 
hosts a wide range of birdlife. The GFNC excursion to 
Balyang allowed us to closely observe many waterfowl 
and some of the secretive waterbirds such as Latham’s 
Snipe and various crakes and rails that appreciate the 
exposed mud created as water levels have dropped over 
summer. 
Highlights of the day included watching a male Darter 
feeding a nestling and watching a mixed flock of Sulphur- 
crested Cockatoos, Long-billed Corellas and Little Corellas 
feeding on pine cones beside the Barwon River. A very 
pleasant morning was experienced by all those attending. 
Grey Teal 
Chestnut Teal 
Northern Mallard. Nine farmyard 
duck (various colours) 
Pacific Black Duck 
Hardhead 
Australasian Grebe 
Rock Dove 
Spotted Dove 
Crested Pigeon 
Australasian Darter. Nests on sth 
side of Barwon River. 4 large 
fluffy young. 1 dead. 6 or more 
extra nests. 
Little Pied Cormorant. 3 or more 
nests with Darters on Barwon 
River bank. 
Little Black Cormorant 
Australian Pelican 
White-necked Heron 
Eastern Great Egret 
White-faced Heron 
Nankeen Night-Heron 
Royal Spoonbill 
Purple Swamphen 
Buff-banded Rail 
Australian Spotted Crake 
Dusky Moorhen 
Eurasian Coot 
Latham's Snipe 
Silver Gull 
Long-billed Corella. Many feeding 
on pine cones in one tree near 
Princes Bridge with a few 
Little Corellas and a Sulphur- 
crested Cockatoo. 
Little Corella. A few with, many 
Long-billed Corellas and a 
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo all 
feeding on pine cones in one 
tree near Princes Bridge. 
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. One 
with group of a few Little 
Corellas and many Long-billed 
Corellas feeding on pine 
cones in one tree near Princes 
Bridge. 
Rainbow Lorikeet 
Red-rumped Parrot 
Superb Fairy-wren 
White-browed Scrubwren 
Brown Thornbill 
White-plumed Honeyeater 
Red Wattlebird 
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike 
Australian Magpie 
Pied Currawong 
Grey Fantail 
Willie Wagtail. Nest above Barwon 
River. 
Little Raven 
Magpie-lark 
Australian Reed-Warbler. 
Collecting nesting material. 
Little Grassbird 
Common Blackbird 
Common Myna 
House Sparrow 
Common Greenfinch 
48 species 
8 Geelong Naturalist February 2012 
