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Sydney Northern Beaches - 10 Sept 2010

To: "birding-aus" <>
Subject: Sydney Northern Beaches - 10 Sept 2010
From: "Tom and Mandy Wilson" <>
Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2010 21:40:18 +1000
Hi all
I visited 3 sites on Sydney's Northern beaches this morning (10 Sept) - Deep Creek Reserve on the north western shore of Narrabeen Lake (7:30-9am), Warriewood Wetlands/Irrawong Reserve (9:30-11:30) and Long Reef (12-1). There was some warm sunshine but also some cloud and spotty rain when I was at Warriewood, but by the time I'd got to Long Reef the clouds had gone and the sun was out again. Highlights for me:

Deep Creek
2 (maybe 3) Brush Bronzewings were seen on the track that leads away from the footbridge and the creek on the other side to the dog training oval. Great views as they pottered about like little clockwork toys and the best views I have ever had of them. Around the oval itself was a big flock (60+) or Red Browed Finches. I've never seen a flock that big before. They kept sweeping onto the grass and back into the trees and I think that a very high up Sparrowhawk was what was spooking them. There were 2 very vocal Fan Tailed Cuckoos, Golden Whistlers and Olive Orioles called loudly and several parties of Variegated Wrens, with the males looking very bright in the morning sunshine.

Warriewood/Irrawong
A Lewins Rail called strongly for 2 or 3 minutes from deep cover near the 1st little footbridge in Irrawong Reserve. It did the 2 calls at the end of the BOCA CD (funny sort of quack, horse gallop) as well as a collection of clicks and whistles. There were 2 Topknot Pigeons feeding in a tree near the Cabbage Tree Palm junction in Irrawong and a Bassian Thrush just before I got to that section too. As I was watching the thrush a small bird rocketed out from by my knees - I was standing next to a Spotted Pardalote's nest burrow, so I quickly moved on. Got a great view of the female - I never realised until this view (about 2 metres) that her head spots are yellow not white. There was a single Brown Pigeon up near the waterfall. I crossed over the stream to see if the Powerful Owls were in residence, but no sign of any recently occupied trees, although yesterday's rain could have washed the evidence away. In the Warriewood section there was a Tawny Grassbird, at least 2 Purple Swamphen families with very small chicks. The Eastern Whipbirds very busy and vocal and doing their normal arboreal tactics as well - there was a pair calling about 20 metres above my head at one point. Both Golden and Rufous Whistlers were seen, plus another Fan Tailed Cuckoo and more Orioles. There's a lot more water in the wetland than I have seen recently, but I suspect some more will be required to kill off the trees that have sprouted in the recent drier period. I had a good look for Lathams Snipe in the wet grass, but perhaps a bit early? There does seem to be some good mud exposed as well, so a visit in the quiet of early morning or evening may produce some crakes. At the water treatment ponds in the housing estate behind Warriewood (Shearwater Close) there was a Clamorous Reed Warbler scratching out its call and a Royal Spoonbill feeding. A Brown Goshawk passed over while I was there.

Long Reef
The tide was almost low enough to allow me to get to the reef, but a party of school students on a field trip had already got there so I kept my shoes dry on the beach. There was a large group of Red Necked Stints (40 or so), some Ruddy Turnstones and a Grey Tailed Tattler and the usual collection of loafing terns, gulls and cormorants. Offshore there were several groups of dark shearwaters feeding on something, but the work ups were just a bit too far out to allow me to work out if they were Wedge Tailed or Short Tailed. Plenty of Fluttering types in with them too and Gannets above. The local Kestrel was busy hunting, but was interrupted by both Magpies and Ravens

Cheers
Tom Wilson
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