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Hawkesbury Area NSW - 7th October 2002

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Subject: Hawkesbury Area NSW - 7th October 2002
From: "Edwin Vella" <>
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 2002 21:06:31 +1000

Whilst out today in the Hawkesbury area (approx 55 km north-west of Sydney CBD, I checked out a number of my favourite spots. Today (a public holiday for us in NSW) was quite humid and storm clouds could be seen around Sydney?s outskirts, though no rain fell on me. Some of birds seen included:

 

CATTAI NATIONAL PARK ? Quite a number of Satin Bowerbirds feeding in the figs as well as the Olive-backed Orioles and Lewin?s Honeyeaters. Saw a Dollarbird and a couple of Sacred Kingfishers calling in the tall eucalypts.

 

MITCHELL PARK, CATTAI ? Lots of Leaden Flycatchers (at one spot, there were 2-3 pairs calling in the tall eucalypts beside the swamp). Also Sacred Kingfisher, a Rufous Fantail, Black-faced Monarch, a Bassian Thrush, Crested Shrike-tit, Wonga Pigeon, Brown Cuckoo-dove, Peaceful Doves and a few Woodswallows (White-browed/Masked) flying overheard. I only heard one Scarlet Honeyeater call but the Melaleucas are starting flower and I expect them as usual to be loaded with these Honeyeaters.

 

PITT TOWN LAGOON ? one Hoary-headed Grebe (much more were present in the winter), a few Sharp-tailed Sandpipers (would have been more but many were hiding in the reeds), 7 Marsh Sandpiper, a Red-kneed Dotterel, a Great Egret, Baillon?s Crakes (2), a Swamp Harrier, 3 Rainbow Bee-eaters flying overhead (to add a bit of colour) and 15 Whiskered Terns (many still in stunning breeding plumage). A Rufous Songlark was heard calling along Pitt Town Bottoms Rd nearby.

 

McGRATH?S HILL STW ? 5 Glossy Ibis, a Plumed Egret, 2 Darters, 2-3 Latham?s Snipe, 2 Red-kneed Dotterel, 20 plus Hardhead and 10 plus Australasian Shoveler, another Swamp Harrier amongst the usuals in the wetlands. In the planted trees up the hill were 2 Rufous Songlarks and a White-bellied (Little) Cuckoo-shrike (dark morph with almost complete dark hood and barring below hood). Another birdo, said he had 5 White-winged Trillers in these trees earlier on. A Horsfield?s Bronze-cuckoo was being attacked by two White-plumed Honeyeaters forcing the cuckoo to crash to the ground and only a few centre metres in front of my foot. It stayed like this for a few seconds than took off.

 

SCHEVILLE ? a Brush Cuckoo (was seen going off with its loud calls), a Pallid Cuckoo and another Dollarbird.

 

MARALYA ? lots of White-browed (atleast 100) and a few Masked Woodswallows were flying above and below the tree line (some to high above the ground) heading eastwards along Dural Rd). They were flying about in circles for a while and later disappeared.

 

RICHMOND TURF FARMS ? an Australian Hobby, a Black-shouldered Kite, Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoos, a few of both Rufous and Brown Songlarks, a few White-winged Trillers (including one male chasing a female after calling some time in a Kurrajong), 3 Zebra Finches and Nutmeg Mannikin and a few Rainbow Bee-eaters.

 

I scored a total of 130 species (for ¾ of the day) without too much effort and missing a number of easy ones.

 

Edwin Vella

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