Places visited today within 30 km around Newcastle (mid-coast NSW) were as
follows:
KOORAGANG ISLAND NATURE RESERVE/STOCKTON AREA -
Quite dissapointing this morning as myself anda few members of the Cumberland
Bird Observers Club saw only 2-3 Pacific Golden Plovers, about 500
plus Curlew Sandpipers, 20 plus Bar-tailed Godwits, 5
Whimbrels, about 15 Eastern Curlew, 5 Grey-tailed Tattlers
and a Pied Oystercatcher. A Mangrove Heron, 2 Caspian
Terns, Mangrove Gerygones, 3 White-bellied Sea-eagles
were also seen at the Nature Reserve. At the Stockton Sewerage works was a
female Musk Duck, and along the coast were hundreds of Wedge-tailed
Shearwaters in rafts just behind the wave break aswell as atleast
100 Common Terns about the mouth of the Hunter River.
NEWCASTLE WETLANDS RESERVE, SANDGATE - Nesting
Little Black Cormorants and a few Darters with almost fledged
young on the nest were present at this swamp. White-breasted Woodswallows
and both Fairy and Tree Martins also had young.
SEAHAM AREA (near Raymond Terrace) - lots of
nesting Cattle Egrets, a few Little and Plumed Egrets aswell as
Royal Spoonbills were nesting at Seaham Swamp Nature Reserve (These birds
also nest at the Shortland Wetlands centre, a little closer to Newcastle). Also
around the area were 8 Grey-crowned Babblers feeding in
suburban gardens, Blue-faced Honeyeater and Striped Honeyeaters.
TARRO SWAMP - Lots of Waterbirds here in this
wetland which often completely dries out. There were 300-400 Pied
Stilts, 200 plus Sharp-tailed Sandpipers hundreds of
Grey and Chestnut Teal, 4 Australasian Shovelers and a
Glossy Ibis. I have passed this swamp a number of times in the past and
have seen hundreds of Pied Stilts here a few years ago. However, I have never
seen it as good as today. I recommend any birders passing by to visit this swamp
as it has potential!!!
Edwin
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