Sunday 7th October 2007

Leaders: Pat Gomm and Gloria Dean.

Walk gradient: Level including boardwalk.

Nine people joined the walk starting from The Briars information centre car park. From there we walked to the Estuary, following the Balcombe Creek.

Balcombe Creek is one of the last relatively unspoilt waterways entering the eastern side of Port Phillip Bay. It rises south of Frankston, flows across the Moorooduc Lowlands, then through the Briars Wetlands and into Swamp Woodland and Swampy Riparian Woodland, finally opening out into a tidal estuary.

The group sighted many birds on the way including Yellow Robin, Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, White-browed Scrub-wrens, White-naped Honeyeater, Ibis in flight, European Goldfinch, Pied Cormorant, Grey Fantail (building her nest) Welcome Swallows, Grey Shrike-thrush, and Reed Warblers.

We saw Chocolate Lilies, Nodding Greenhoods, Bundled Guinea Flower and Mistletoe. We stopped at the Estuary Reserve picnic ground for morning tea. The estuary was in high tide and blocked the walkway under the Esplanade at Mount Martha. On the return walk a Yellow Robin was seen sitting on her nest about six feet from side of track and Silvereyes were flittering amongst the foliage.

The weather was sunny and warm.

(Contributed)