Newell's Paddock, Footscray

It was used as a holding yard for cattle and sheep from Newmarket Saleyards for the Abattoir owned by William Angliss. The land has been restored to contain the natural waterholes that existed here before white settlement and it is now preserved as a natural wetlands park. Landscape architect Dr. Jill Orr-Young did the initial landscape design in 1980's. Friends of Newell's Paddock was formed in 2014.

• Elanus axillaris Black-shouldered Kite

  30 Jul 2018 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  The video was at half speed.

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  Ben Fisher starred this.

  1. Cathy Powers  Stunning!

     Reply • 30 Jul
• Elanus axillaris Black-shouldered Kite

  20 Jul 2018 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  Having a rest in winter morning sun.

  

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• Falco peregrinus Peregrine Falcon

  28 Jun 2018 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

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• Egretta novaehollandiae White-faced Heron

  04 Jun 2018 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  The heron used its leg to stir the bottom of the pond.

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  Cathy Powers and Andrew Brown starred this.

  1. Cathy Powers  Great video showing natural actions when searching for food.

     Reply • 04 Jun
• Unidentified

  04 Jun 2018 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  A group of fungi.

  

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• Poliocephalus poliocephalus Hoary-headed Grebe

  16 May 2018 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  

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• Lophoictinia isura Square-tailed Kite Accipiter fasciatus Brown Goshawk Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae Silver Gull

  06 May 2018 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  A square-tailed kite (confirmed by a bird watcher) soaring over the wetlands, with a brown goshawk and a group of silver gulls.

  

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  1. Michael Gooch  Nice one, Thomas. I suspect this is the same juvenile bird that has been seen in Newport, Flemington and Royal Park. It has been around for a while which is fascinating and is covering a nice territory :)

     Reply • 14 May
• Platalea flavipes Yellow-billed Spoonbill

  27 Apr 2018 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

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  1. Cathy Powers  Fabulous display of nature.

     Reply • 27 Apr
• Phalacrocorax sulcirostris Little Black Cormorant

  13 Apr 2018 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  A group of little black cormorants catching fish.

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• Accipiter cirrhocephalus Collared Sparrowhawk

  29 Mar 2018 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  Not sure whether it is a brown goshawk or a collared sparrowhawk

  

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  1. Michael Gooch  Accipiter cirrhocephalus species id suggested

     Reply • 31 Mar

  3. Michael Gooch  Square/notched tail, small bill - not a prominent brow and broader markings lead me to thinking young CSH over Goshawk.

     Reply • 31 Mar
• Malacorhynchus membranaceus Pink-eared Duck

  30 Mar 2018 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  one pink-eared duck filter feeding.

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  David Francis, Cathy Powers, and Mark Ridgway starred this.

  1. David Francis  Fantastic video, clearly showing all the features and behaviour!

     Reply • 30 Mar
• Anthochaera carunculata Red Wattlebird

  12 Mar 2018 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  Pale coloured wattlebird? Leucistic red wattlebird.

  

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  Andrew Brown starred this.

  1. David Francis  Leucistic Red Wattlebird?

     Reply • 12 Mar

  3. Chris Lindorff  I agree. The red wattle is still evident, too.

     Reply • 15 Mar
• Melopsittacus undulatus Budgerigar

  22 Feb 2018 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  An escapee?

  

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  1. David Francis  Yes a very beautiful escaped cagebird. I hope someone catches him and gives him a home with others.

     Reply • 25 Feb
• Papilio anactus Dainty Swallowtail Dingy Swallowtail

  01 Jan 2018 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  Dingy Swallowtail on Goodenia ovata (planted).

  

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• Todiramphus sanctus Sacred Kingfisher

  02 Nov 2017 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  My first observation of the bird in the area. Catching insects (?) from the ground.

  

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• Ardea ibis Cattle Egret

  27 Oct 2017 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  Cattle egret in its breeding plumage. Second sighting of the bird.

  

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• Sericornis frontalis White-browed Scrubwren

  03 Oct 2017 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  

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• Odonata spp. Dragonfly Dragonfly or Damselfly Hemianax papuensis Australian Emperor

  17 Sep 2017 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  

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  1. Reiner Richter  gotta work out how to add an ID????

     Reply • 17 Oct
• Chalcites basalis Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo

  29 Aug 2017 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  Noticed the two different calls. The background noise were from trains and apartment construction nearby.

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  1. David Francis  Clearly showing the dark stripe through the eye and ear-coverts and barring missing from a wide area of the middle of the breast which distinguishes it from the similar Shining Bronze Cuckoo.

     Reply • 30 Aug 2017

  3. David Francis  Sparrow-like chirrup at first with main call starting at about 38 seconds from start.(Descending, repeated whistle).

     Reply • 30 Aug 2017
• Falco cenchroides Australian Kestrel Nankeen Kestrel Windhover

  27 Jul 2017 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  Nankeen kestrel having a rodent for breakfast.

  

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• Phalacrocorax sulcirostris Little Black Cormorant

  12 Jul 2017 • Thomas N.

  A flock of little black cormorants flew over the wetlands.

  

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• Trichoglossus haematodus Rainbow Lorikeet

  29 Jun 2017 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  First observation of Lorikeet using the nest box in Newell's Paddock.

  

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  1. Andrew Brown  Nice camouflage paint on this nest box.

     Reply • 01 Jul 2017

  2. • Thomas N.  The boxes were built by the local men shed group.

       Reply • 12 Jul 2017
• Falco cenchroides Australian Kestrel Nankeen Kestrel Windhover

  20 Jun 2017 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  Regular visitor in early winter.

  

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• Corixidae spp. Water Boatman Water-boatman

  26 May 2017 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  Water bug taken from above.

  

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  1. David Francis  Corixidae spp. species id suggested

     Reply • 26 May 2017
• Myxogastrea spp. Plasmodial Slime-moulds

  19 May 2017 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  Some part of the slime-mould from observation (http://natureshare.org.au/observations/591d93dfed2a893e6b00144d) have turned black.

  

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  1. David Francis  Mature spores are black.

     Reply • 19 May 2017
• Falco longipennis Australian Hobby

  19 May 2017 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  

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• Myxogastrea spp. Plasmodial Slime-moulds

  18 May 2017 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  One of two clusters of fungi(?) about 15cm across. Growing on mulch.

  

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  1. David Francis  Slime mould in the fruiting body (sporangia) stage of its life cycle.

     Reply • 18 May 2017

  3. David Francis  Not classified as a fungus as it doesn't have a mycelium/hyphae but instead consists of an aggregation of coordinated amoeba-like cells. in the migratory phase.

     Reply • 18 May 2017

  5. David Francis  Similar to Diachea spp. such as Diachea leucopodia

     Reply • 19 May 2017
• Falco peregrinus Peregrine Falcon

  05 May 2017 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  Peregrine falcon is back on its observation tower (top of high-tension electricity pylon) in Newell's Paddock.

  

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• Ardea ibis Cattle Egret

  20 Apr 2017 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  First sighting in Newells Paddock Wetlands

  

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• Nephila edulis Australian Golden Orb-weaving Spider Golden Orb Weaver

  14 Apr 2017 • -37.8,144.9 • Thomas N.

  

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