Coogoorah Park

Visited: spring and summer

Recommendation: This is a wonderful area to explore. With lots of trails and environments to wander around, there is always something very cool to see.

I usually visit several spots in the Anglesea area and Coogoorah is always a must. It is always a lovely walk through the waterways and the bush.

Golden Whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis)

Coogoorah Park is a beautiful nature reserve in Anglesea. It's known for its diverse wetland ecosystem, and is home to a variety of wetland plants and animals, creating a unique and delicate ecosystem.

Several walking trails wind through the park, allowing you to explore the wetlands and enjoy the natural beauty and, of course, see many birds.

I was trying to tell the difference between the Rufous and Golden Whistler calls when the answer alighted right in front of me. As the whistler disappeared a White-eared Honeyeater flew in and sat in the sunlight right in front of me. At last I got a good view of this locally common but hard to spot bird!

White-eared Honeyeater (Nesoptilotis leucotis)

Over one of the bridges I heard the Little Grassbird. It has a haunting call which I always think belongs in the rainforest rather than open country. I spent the next 20 minutes dashing back and forth across the bridge chasing a pair of them as they darted around underneath it. I must have looked a bit mad! Worth it though, I finally got the shots.

Little Grassbird (Poodytes gramineus)

The Superb Fairywren were dashing around everywhere as usual. I just couldn't resist (again!). I have several hundred photographs of these little bird, most of them the colourful males. They are so engaging and interesting that every time I see them, I can't help myself.

Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus)

Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata)

The Red Wattlebird must be the largest of the Australian honeyeaters and its striking plumage makes it hard to mistake. It is found across the whole of southern Australia and it typically inhabits open forests and woodlands. These areas often have a mix of eucalyptus trees and shrubs. However, they are incredibly adaptable and can be found in a variety of other habitats, including coastal heaths, parks and gardens and even urban areas. Their ability to thrive in different environments contributes to their widespread distribution across southeastern Australia.

While the Welcome Swallow might be seen most commonly in coastal areas or large bodies of water, they can actually be found across the range of Australia, except for the driest parts of the north and west. They are also found in the Pacific south east and New Zealand. Further north, they are replaced by the Pacific Swallow which looks very similar.

Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena)

Near the entrance to the park are some dead trees and they are a chosen place for Great Cormorant to rest. While the Great Cormorant is present in Australia, it's not as commonly sighted as some other bird species. They tend to prefer coastal and estuarine environments, especially rocky coastlines. While Australia has extensive coastlines, not all areas provide ideal conditions for these birds.

Great Cormorants are generally more wary and cautious compared to other cormorant species. This makes the park a great place to see them.

Great Cormorant - Phalacrocorax carbo