Thanks again to the many people in the birding-aus community for their help
on places to go birding near Sydney.
I arrived at the boat harbour on Friday afternoon at about 15:20. The
golden plovers were offshore. But the tide was rising, so I sat down and
waited. Stan and Janine had a scope so we could monitor them. A few other
people started to arrive including Philip Brook who I hadn't seen since
about 2000 on a tour to Gluepot.. Everything else left the rock in dribs
and drabs but the plovers remained steadfast. I then realised that I had
picked the neap tide, and maybe they wouldn't be pushed off. With high
tide at 17:15 and 17:00 ticking past, I was having doubts. We thought that
we could pick the bird in the distance through the scope at 60x
magnification, but this wasn't a satisfactory view. Then at about 17:10
they lifted off for no apparent reason and flew towards us and landed only
30 metres in front of us. The AGP (if the record is accepted) was quickly
picked out with two PGPs in front of it for comparison. A very distinctive
bird. The pale supercilium, more white on the face, very dumpy, different
pattern on the breast, apparently shorter legs, different wing projection,
all readily seen through the scope at effectively point blank range. A
nice bird for my birthday. I seem to making a recent habit of this, with
Laughing Gull a couple of years ago and Slaty-backed Gull last year
(although not exactly on the day).
I was surprised at how many of the PGPs had breeding plumage to some
extent, with one bird very much advanced. In WA, as a general rule I am
used to Grey Plovers (and I think PGPs but I don't see them as much)
leaving with none or very little breeding plumage, but returning with a lot
of breeding plumage.
I spent Saturday mostly around the Royal NP. A pleasant walk in a few
places. I met Roger & Louise McGovern who I hadn't seen for about 10
years. They had just seen a female Rose Robin at the picnic area at Lady
Carrington Drive. A CBOC group had also seen one at the Wattle Forest
picnic area where I had been earlier. I missed, but that is life. Still
it was very good to see Satin Bowerbirds, Azure Kingfisher, White-throated
Treecreeper, Rufous Fantail, Eastern Yellow Robin among others and about
seven species of butterfly.
On Sunday I did go down to Barren Grounds. Very different to my memories
from the early 1990s when I was there. Generally quiet (I didn't get there
until 10am), but great weather for walking and some birds such as Beautiful
Firetail at point blank range, many Little Wattlebirds showing how
different they are to Western Wattlebirds over here, many Yellow-faced
Honeyeaters, etc. A few butterflies. A bird with a distinct chestnut rump
flew across the track in the low heath where the firetail was (about 100
metres from the lodge). As far as I know, Chestnut-rumped and Shy
Heathwrens don't occur there (different habitats to other places I have
seen them). So maybe Brown Thronbill similar to Inland Thornbill here in
the SW? Unless the eastern form of White-browed Scrubwren has a chestnut
rump? It didn't reappear in the next ten minutes.
A quick visit to Minnamurra Falls was almost birdless but a few butterflies
in the sunlight. I was last there in 1966!!
Fortunately I left for the airport early, and refuelled in Rockdale on the
way, as the airport was almost in gridlock after the attack by bikies at
the airport. It took an hour for the last kilometre.
_________________________________________________________________
Frank O'Connor Birding WA http://birdingwa.iinet.net.au
Phone : (08) 9386 5694 Email :
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