Trying to get access into the Tootgarook Swamp and wetlands can be quite tricky. The swamp is located between Rosebud and Rye in Tootgarrok on the Mornington Penninsula. The proposed fresh water wetlands have been a battle ground between local environmentalists and developers trying to bulldoze the swamp and create yet more suburban housing. At this stage the local action groups are winning out and the developers are being delayed. Hopefully this will continue until the full community gets behind the creation of a protected wetlands. I have been visiting and exploring around the fringe of the swamp areas trying to find the best access spots. One of the higher vantage points is via a closed road that leads to an old dumping area that is located between the sports ovals and the swamp. I spent some time looking for the beautiful and melodic Striated Fieldwren and found a quite a few along the edge of the dumping ground.
Striated Fieldwren, Tootgarook Wetlands, Tootgarook, Vic
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Protest vote
The Gap Year and Beyond 
Thanks for sharing this bird malt, one I have not yet had the pleasure to see or hear. We must keep standing up for the wetlands as developers continue to bulldoze them worldwide. The 35 km one in South Korea they are filling in is so devastating to the survival of our migratory waders, but no one listens there. Our own government lets us down also and tends to bend in favour of development. The Fieldwren is quite an attractive little bird.
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Thanks for the comments Ashley. I have only seen this bird in a few places so it was very nice to find it close to my weekender…
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I am awed by your patience and persistence. Great caption on the last picture.
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Thanks Steve, appreciate the kind words.
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Lovely photos! I wasn’t aware of these little guys. I’ll be careful not to mistake them for sparrows if they cross my path.
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thanks for the comments PP
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Tootgarook is a great spot so it’s interesting to see your posts 🙂 Hopefully it will be preserved! I’ve been in a few times with the Friends of group on bird surveys though I’m not sure they are running them anymore – I haven’t seen any on their FB page. Keep your eye out for Emu-wrens!
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Thanks Emma, yes I heard about the emu-wrens when I went there today and ran into the leaders of the friends group who lives near one of the access points. It is a great site and so close to my weekend place. I will have to organize a birders trip and stay
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