Photographers and other bird observers were at the scene from mid-morning until dark, with the birds remaining on their chosen log all day.

Today's photo shows the main features of these birds.

Most distinctive are the prominent long upswept decorative flank feathers. It is these stiff feathers that identify them as plumed whistling ducks.

Whistling ducks are similar in body size to many ducks, but they have slightly longer necks and legs.

Like wood ducks, they like to be near water, but they seldom swim, using the water only to avoid predators.

A closer look at these birds reveals pink legs and an unusual black-marked pink bill.

This species is mostly found in northern Australia, but small numbers visit the Riverina in most years, attracted by cropping and irrigation.

Some of these spill over into northern Victoria and - less often - into western Victoria.

Most of our irregular local sightings are in spring, when grasses are growing well.

These ducks feed mostly on short grass, and they feed mostly at night and rest near water during the day.

The plumed whistling duck does not visit the Ballarat region every year, although records have gradually increased in the last 15 years or so.

Springtime reports are no longer the surprise they once were.

There was a record of 20 in flight at Lake Wendouree early one morning in October 2012.

That is the only report for Lake Wendouree proper.

Last week's birds were seen only for about 24 hours, with just two of them found the morning after their first discovery.

Those two did not stay long on their second day.

There are a couple of other whistling ducks on the Australian list.

The wandering whistling duck is common in northern Australia, while the spotted whistling duck is a far northern rarity.

The whistling ducks get their name from a characteristic whistling call they make in flight.

The purple waxlip orchid is just one of many wildflowers open now.

Many were spotted last weekend, including nine white ones.

White waxlips are not rare, but it's unusual to see more than a couple in a day.

Waxlips are flowering north of the Divide, but are only just starting in southern forests. The same applies to the little pink fingers orchid. Bird orchids have already opened, perhaps slightly earlier than usual. Local forests are becoming colourful with a range of wildflowers.

We were surprised to find a small bird like a kingfisher in our backyard. It may have flown into the window at the side of the house. It stayed there for a couple of hours before flying off.

T.J. Wendouree.

Your surprise visitor is a nicely coloured adult male sacred kingfisher, a migrant from northern Australia or perhaps New Guinea.

This species visits us each year, usually from about late September. It stays here to breed, before going north again for the winter. A few visit Lake Wendouree.

For some reason, they seem to be rather prone to window crashing. Your bird would have been just passing through on migration; they don't normally stay in backyards for long. Their usual habitat is open forest, especially along creeks and near wetlands.