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TRIP REPORT Dairy Swamp Tuggerah
&, Tuggerah Lagoon & South Tacoma
On Saturday 7 April, I led a bird watching outing
for the Central Coast branch of the National Parks Association, and even though
there were only 6 people present, we had a good day. It was a great day for
raptors, with a Nankeen Kestrel harassing a Grey
Goshawk at the Dairy Swamp, where a White-breasted
Sea-Eagle was seen and a Black-shouldered Kite was
feeding over the long grass in the paddocks that surround the Swamp. At nearby
Tuggerah Lagoon, an adult female Brown Goshawk was perched in a
dead tree,overlooking the Lagoon; a Swamp Harrier was harassing
the birds around the edge of the Lagoon, two different Sea Eagles cruised over
the Lagoon and a Whislting Kite was patrolling too. An hour or
so later we were at nearby South Tacoma where a male Collared
Sparrowhawk darted through the treees and another Whistling Kite was
patrolling.
Other birds of interest at the Dairy Swamp was an
immature Double-banded Plover, seen the previous week; 3 small
flocks of Topknot Pigeons totally 40+ birds all flying west;
Cattle Egrets, Great Egrets & 2
Intermediate Egrets were amongst the waterbirds present, and
Black Swans had commenced nesting. At Tuggerah Lagoon, there a few Tree
Martins, and good views were had of Cisticolas, 2
Tawny Grassbirds & a party of Southern Emu-wrens,
a lone Bellminer was sighted in one of the trees
around the Lagoon, where Black Ducks,
Hardheads and Darters were the common
birds.
We moved onto South Tacoma where a
Buff-banded Rail was feeding at the edge of the road, 2
White-breasted Woodswallows could still be seen on the overhead
wires, Bar-shouldered Doves fed along the track, Darters were
feeding large young in the nests in trees along Wyong Creek, and a
Caspian Tern fed around the lake edge. Lunch was taken at
Woodbury Bridge, Wyong Creek where more Topknot Pigeons were seen and King
Parrots and Straw-necked Ibis were added to our list. 78 species were seen for
the morning.
Alan Morris
Central Coast FOC Group
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