Today, I, Graham Turner and David Koffel had a most enjoyable morning in
the Hawkesbury area (approx. 55 km NW of Sydney CBD) seeing a number of rare
species with quite pleasant weather for this time of year (not extremely hot as
it has been). There is no doubt, that the Hawkesbury has produced an excellent
load of birds this year for the many privileged birdos in
Sydney. I would like to express my
appreciation to Keith Brandwood for reporting many of these.
At Pughes Lagoon in Richmond, the water has gone down to expose more mud
on the edges and produced today 5 Red-kneed Dotterels, a few Pied Stilts, a
couple of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, a Darter, 2 Plumed Egrets and a Baillons
Crake. A beautiful plumaged male White-winged Triller showed its pride and glory
from on top of a Casuarina.
Along Onus Lane in
the Richmond Turf Farms, roadside puddles attracted at least 6 Sharp-tailed
Sandpipers and 2 Baillons Crakes.
At Fernleighs (Bush?s) Lagoon (also in the Richmond Turf Farms) produced
a great variety of birds including 3 Glossy Ibis, a Darter, a Yellow-billed
Spoonbill, a male Australian Shelduck (fairly rare for the Hawkesbury), 30 plus
Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, a RUFF, 3 Marsh Sandpipers, 1 Greenshank, atleast 11
Red-kneed Dotterels, both an adult White-bellied Sea-eagle and Whistling Kite
and interestingly a female White-fronted Chat (first time we have come across
this species in the Hawkesbury. I have only seen them in places like Homebush
and the shores of Botany Bay within the limits of
Sydney). In the surrounding
paddocks, were 5 LITTLE CURLEWS (the last time we saw them in this area was back
in 1994), both Stubble and King Quail heard calling, another male White-winged
Triller, Singing Bushlarks, Brown Songlarks (very good views through scope of
one of the males calling on a mound) and Rufous Songlarks (heard).
Our final place visited today was Bushells Lagoon at Freemans Reach, were
there was both a Plumed and Great Egret, a Pacific Heron, 3 Yellow-billed
Spoonbills, 3 Brown Quails, 2 Pacific Golden Plovers, 50 plus Sharp-tailed
Sandpipers, a PECTORAL SANDPIPER, 5 Marsh Sandpipers, a Greenshank, one Lathams
Snipe and 30 plus Whiskered Terns, a Whistling Kite, Pallid Cuckoo and a lone
Zebra Finch.
Edwin Vella
PS For those interested in the Ruff and Little Curlews, David Mitford
called me to say that they were still there this afternoon at the places I
mentioned above.