Birdline Western Australia Weekly Update

Birdline Western Australia

Published sightings for the week ending 26 Aug 2012.

Fri 24 Aug	Oriental Plover Roebuck Bay Broome, Western Australia Single adult, several weeks earlier than the last few years. Adrian Boyle, Chris Hassell
Tue 21 Aug	Green-winged Teal West Island, Cocos-Keeling Islands Pam Jones photographed a Eurasian Teal on Cocos on Tuesday 21 August 2012. This has sparked a debate as to whether there has been one, two or three birds in Australia, all on West Island, Cocos. The first was found in December 2010 and was known to still be there in February 2011. Another or the same was found at the same site in late 2011 and stayed till March or even April 2012. A Teal considered by the observers to be a Grey or perhaps Sunda Teal was seen this winter but the Tuesdays bird is definitely a Eurasian Teal. There is no permanent open fresh water on Cocos so is this a different bird or is it surviving in the very saline lagoon? The species can tolerate sheltered salt water. The first two were females and this one is in similar plumage but given the date, it has been suggested may be an eclipse plumaged male. I thought I'd share this with you. Another debate is whether this constitutes one, two or three records! Pam Jones per Mike Carter
	Great-billed Heron, Striated Heron Derby Wharf, Western Australia Great-billed Heron (1) Still east of Derby wharf but only visible through telescope Striated Heron (1) Excellent close up views this morning Hedley Earl and Irena Earl
Mon 20 Aug	Great-billed Heron, Common Sandpiper Derby Wharf, Western Australia Great-billed Heron (1) Single bird flew over our heads and landed 200 meters to the east of the wharf. We observed it feeding in the shallows for about 20 minutes until he moved too far away for further observation photos taken despite the distance. Common Sandpiper (1) Single bird seen feeding on both sides of the main wharf. Able to get good photos for accurate identification Hedley Earl
	Australian Bustard Kimberley Downs WA Block, Western Australia Australian Bustard (1) Single bird observed close to Great Northern highway 140 km east of Derby and 80 km west of Fitzroy crossing at 9am this morning Hedley Earl
Sun 19 Aug	Asian Dowitcher Broome Bird Observatory, Western Australia Four Asian Dowitcher at a roost on Roebuck Bay. Also several Board-billed Sandpipers amongst 1000's of waders Rob Morris, Peter Waanders, Michael Kearns, Bruce Wedderburn
	Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo Laura Ave, Australind, Western Australia About 6 birds, possibly breeding, sounded like the screeching of young. Some birds had more orange/pink stripes, some really red patches. E and J Carter
	Western Yellow Robin Karnup (Don Shepherd nature walk), Western Australia Small group feeding on small flying insect emergence Gary Stevens
	Blue-winged Kookaburra WTP - South Hedland, Western Australia I was returning to the WTP (on foot) to see if the Pink-eared Duck were still there (they weren't) when I spotted 2 Blue-winged Kookaburra. I haven't seen BWK in the vicinity of South Hedland before so that was pretty exciting, given that most birds today were grounded (its pretty windy). Snez Plunkett
Sat 18 Aug	Australian Bustard, Masked Owl, Black Bittern Mount Hart Station, Western Australia Australian Bustard (1) on the Airstrip. A Black Bittern in the nearest gorge and a Masked Owl seen at night and heard calling near the camp site. Rob Morris, Michael Kearns
	Pink-eared Duck WTP South Hedland, Western Australia A number of Pink-eared Duck were seen on the water's edge, quite late in the day. Will be revisiting in the morning to get a better look and some better photos. Snez Plunkett
Thu 16 Aug	Partridge Pigeon, Black Grasswren Mitchell Plateau, Western Australia Partridge Pigeon blaauwi (4) Yellow-faced subspecies. Black Grasswren (2) Pair of birds seen well and also singing, in the rocky area to the south east of Little Mertens Falls. Bruce Wedderburn
	Black-necked Stork King River Crossing, Gibb River Road, Western Australia Black-necked Stork (Jabiru) seen in the middle of the Pentecost river crossing which is located about 70 kilometers after the start of the Gibb River Rd accessed from Victoria Highway 50 Kms from Kununurra. Hedley Earl
Wed 15 Aug	Buff-sided Robin Mitchell Plateau, Western Australia A pair seen along the riparian woodland Rob Morris, Michael Kearns
	Partridge Pigeon Mitchell Plateau - camp ground, Western Australia Up to 10 birds in the camp site around 7am Rob Morris, Michael Kearns
	Kimberley Honeyeater, Buff-sided Robin Mitchell Plateau, Western Australia Kimberley Honeyeater (1) Seen close to Little Mertens Falls feeding in flowering eucalypt. Buff-sided Robin (2) Pair of birds on Mertens Creek Bruce Wedderburn
Tue 14 Aug	Kimberley Honeyeater Mitchell Plateau, Western Australia Six to ten birds daily in the Mitchell Plateau area - normally associated with flowering trees and associating with other honeyeaters. Rob Morris, Peter Waanders, Michael Kearns
	Purple-crowned Fairy-wren, Black-chinned Honeyeater Drysdale River Crossing, Western Australia A pair of Purple-crowned Fairy-wren near Miners Pool. Several Black-chinned (Golden-backed form) Honeyeaters Rob Morris, Peter Waanders, Michael Kearns, Bruce Wedderburn
	Black Grasswren Mitchell Plateau, Western Australia 2+ birds seen on a daily basis from the 14th-16th August Rob Morris, Peter Waanders, Michael Kearns
	Northern Shrike-tit Drysdale River Crossing, Western Australia A pair just upstream of the river crossing. The photo is a male Rob Morris, Peter Waanders, Michael Kearns
Mon 13 Aug	Silver-backed Butcherbird Gibb River Road en route to Drysdale River Station, Western Australia One bird seen here. Two more birds seen in the Mitchell Plateau area. Rob Morris, Peter Waanders, Michael Kearns, Bruce Wedderburn
Sun 12 Aug	Lesser Frigatebird, Cockatiel, Grey-headed Honeyeater, Crimson Chat Broome Fishing Club at 18 0 25S 122 12 35E, Western Australia Lesser Frigatebird - single bird seen. Cockatiel - flock of 18 birds flying past. Grey-headed Honeyeater - single bird seen. Crimson Chat - about 30 birds seen. Bruce Wedderburn
	Spotless Crake Robe Rver, by roadside campground., Western Australia Single bird sighted by waterhole on east side of bridge. Ben Weston

Birdline Western Australia is sponsored by Eremaea Birds and co-ordinated and hosted by Eremaea Birds.

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