Today, myself and David Mitford
visited Bakers Lagoon and had good views of the YELLOW WAGTAIL at Bakers Lagoon
in Richmond (approx. 55km north-west
of Sydney CBD). Though both of us has seen it on a number of occasions up in
Newcastle in NSW, this location was
well within the Sydney region, hence
a Sydney tick for both of us. The
first record of the Yellow Wagtail in
Sydney was at this location in the
1980?s according to Ern Hoskin?s ?Birds of Sydney?. We did not hear our bird
call but it was very active along the muddy edges of the lagoon and constantly
wagging its tail up and down as usual. There were a good number of waders here
including well over 200 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, 15 Marsh Sandpipers, 3
Red-necked Stints, a Bar-tailed Godwit and 4 Red-kneed Dotterels. Other wetland
birds included a Black-tailed Native-hen, 2 Australasian Shovelers amongst many
Grey Teal, a Swamp Harrier and a Peregrine Falcon which spooked many of the
waders. I find some of the Sharp-tailed Sandpipers quite entertaining, and have
seen a number of them getting into a bit of a dispute with each other. I have
seen a few individuals with their tail cocked up and wings outstretched,
charging at each other. One Sharpie today was seen chasing the other in a few
circles.
We also looked at nearby
Fernleighs Lagoon (off Powells Lane) but most of the birds seen over the last
few weeks have now disappeared from here (including the Ruff, Little Curlews and
all the Sharpies) but we did saw 40 Plumed Whistling-ducks ( I normally
encounter these ducks in autumn or winter at this location). In the paddocks
beside Powells Lane, we saw
1 or 2 Singing Bushlarks (one seen calling on a nearby fence), 4 male Brown
Songlarks and heard a few Stubble Quail very close by.
Before I headed back home, I also
made a brief visits to both the western and eastern side of Bushells Lagoon at
Freeman?s Reach. On the western side were only about 20 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers,
a Red-necked Stint, a Greenshank and another Black-tailed Native Hen. Only 13
Whiskered Terns were present on the eastern end.
On the 2 small lagoons either
side of Argyle Reach Rd (to the east of Bushell?s Lagoon), were 5 Freckled
Ducks, one Pink-eared Duck, 20 Hardheads, 4 Red-kneed Dotterels, a Baillon?s
Crake and in nearby paddocks 90 Little and 3 Long-billed Corellas.
With all the good numbers of
birds (induced by the drought) and a good string of rarities for the year, 2002
has certainly been a good year birding in the Hawkesbury and certainly one to
remember.
Edwin
Vella
