Several months ago a friend and I pencilled in the 18th December to visit the Western Treatment Plant at Werribee. Fondly known as the ‘poo paddocks’ it’s a designated Ramsar site in recognition of its international significance for biodiversity. I very, very nearly called it off as I’ve been unsustainably busy with fuel reduction burns and helping to fight Boral’s shameful attempt to obliterate the buffer zone and take out 30 acres of woodland that is serving as a refuge to many creatures that survived the bushfire in March. Added to that the Werribee forecast was for 37 degrees Celsius which made me think every self-respecting bird would be hiding in the shadows. But despite all of that I desperately needed a break, and after a bit of dithering off we went.
The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper above was beautifully coloured with a gorgeous chestnut crown. I really like this photograph. It was taken at a speed of 1/4000th of a second as the little group of sharpies were foraging very rapidly in the shallows. If you look closely you’ll see the swirl of movement in the water and a falling droplet centred in front of its underparts. I also like that the photograph shows exactly how this species got its name!
I’ve just been busy working on other shots I took of the sharpies when a text message arrived and I realised it is well past midnight. So, for this week it will just be my favourite sharpie of the day, I hope you like it too.
If you live in or around Melbourne and care about the Dandenong Ranges environment please join our community at the Montrose Recreation Reserve (between the footie oval and the People’s Garden) tomorrow, Saturday 20 December 2025, at 1:30pm. We will be forming a giant STOP sign that will be photographed by a drone. Our previous campaigns (which were successful) ran with the slogan STOP Montrose Quarry Expansion. The group has now been incorporated. There’s a website, Facebook and Instagram pages, and two petitions. We need all the help we can get to protect people’s health and to protect vital habitat for Powerful Owls and many other endangered and vulnerable species. Come and say gidday if you see me there!
Happy birding, Kim
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