Birdline New South Wales Weekly Update

Birdline New South Wales

Published sightings for the week ending 26 Jan 2014.

Sun 26 Jan	Powerful Owl, Pacific Baza, Brown Goshawk, Dollarbird family Lovers Jump Creek, Mcrae Place, Turramurra Single adult Powerful Owl seen (with Ring-tailed Possum) in creekside vegetation about 1km in from the Mcrae Place entrance. Also 2 Superb Lyrebirds, 1 Pacific Baza and Brown Goshawk, Dollarbird family (2 ad; 4 young), plenty of Brown Cuckoo-Doves. Tom Wilson
Sat 25 Jan	Brush Bronzewing, Glossy Black-Cockatoo, White-eared Honeyeater Chiltern Trail, Ingleside Early morning walk of the trail, with some great Sydney birds discovered. Brush Bronzewing (1) Great views of a bird flushed from the side of the track near the McCarrs Creek Road end. Glossy Black-Cockatoo (2) Great to see two birds flying across the trail calling. White-eared Honeyeater (6) Great site for this species in Sydney. Stephen Mannix
	Buller's Albatross, Shy Albatross, Black-browed Albatross North Head, Manly Highlight from a sea watch from north head today was a Buller's Albatross circling a pod of dolphins close in for about half an hour. Also up to 60 Black-browed Albatross. And about 30 Shy Albatross. michael ronan
	Turquoise Parrot, Brown Quail, Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos Braidwood / Nerriga Rd This afternoon found 5 Turquoise Parrots, 2 males, 3 females at S34* 59' E 150*29'. 2 on the power lines, 3 feeding in the grass below. This is 10 km along the Braidwood Rd. At the same spot 5 Brown Quail and Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos. Cindy Ryan
	White-throated Needletail, Fork-tailed Swift, Little Eagle, Pheasant Coucal Terry Hie Hie About 50 White-throated Needletails and 20 Fork-tailed Swifts (new for site and photo attached) were observed hawking together, above cypress pine scrub before over Tycannah Creek. As they passed through very quickly, a single Little Eagle (first for site) was identified flying above the creek. Later, another Little Eagle was observed soaring over broadacre farmland, north of village. A male Australian Koel was still present, as was the Pheasant Coucal which was, again heard calling only. Other birds worth noting include: a Brown Falcon (not seen here just recently), tens of Olive-backed Orioles and some Spotted Bowerbirds, Singing Honeyeater, White-eared Honeyeater, Azure Kingfisher, 3 Wedge-tailed Eagles and some Australian White Ibis (first sighting in the village). Curtis Hayne
Fri 24 Jan	Cicadabird Mount Kaputar National Park (Mt Coryah) On Mt. Kaputar Road, on the ascent to Coryah Gap, a male Cicadabird was spotted (photo). The call was recorded (link below). This location is between Upper Bullawa Creek and Deriah Aboriginal Area (earlier reports this season). Michael Dahlem
	Australasian Bittern (4) Rowes Lagoon, Collector With all the intention to walk all the way around with lack of time etc I only got to the North Eastern side. With help from previous report I got not just my first Australasian Bittern but my 2nd, 3rd and 4th!! They all flushed from within 150m of each other and flew to the South western end. Steve Edwards
	Buff-breasted Sandpiper Hexham Swamp The Buff-breasted Sandpiper was found this morning by Dan Williams on Hexham Swamp not far from where it was photographed on the 18th, but on the opposite side of the track standing amongst some Juncus clumps. The bird was initially quite relaxed and even nodded off a few times but was harassed by a Sharpie and flew at around 10am and appeared to land amongst the hordes of Sharpies on the west side of the track. To my knowledge it hasn't been seen since. As a reminder about access to the swamp refer to my email to Birding-aus last week (link copied below). A Ruff and a probable Pec Sands were also seen this morning. http://bioacoustics.cse.unsw.edu.au/birding-aus/2014-01/msg00244.html Dan Williams, Mick Roderick et al
Thu 23 Jan	Australian Shelduck near Moss Vale Saleyard- private dam Adult pair of A. Shelducks on dam with 2 Hardheads and other more common species. 5 Red-kneed Dotterel, 1 Black-fronted Dotterel, 5 Black-winged Stilts. Water level a lot lower than a few months ago? 4 Red-rumped Parrot. Carla Jackett
	White-throated Needletail, Tawny Grassbird, Intermediate Egret Whittaker's Lagoon Overcast & some drizzle, windy; cool change - 20 degrees. Eventually got rained out and missed a few survey areas. As mentioned earlier, the lagoon has been dry for a few months now, as it was throughout the 10 year drought. A pair of Intermediate Egret showed well in a small permanent stock waterhole near the dry lagoon. A Dollarbird was surprisingly seen in scattered coolibahs in farmland. About 50 White-throated Needletails were distantly identified through binoculars, hawking high above the open plains and sparse scrubland, passing through very quickly. Rarely seen here. Although Tawny Grassbirds are common in the area, a single bird was heard calling from sparse low, dry grassland (all cleared by cattle recently and a few months back) near the dry lagoon, habitat that is not known to us. They have not been present here during last year and downstream along the Mehi River, even when significant vegetation growth was present. Also a Brown Quail was heard which have not been present in recent months, again in (cleared), sparse grassland. Curtis Hayne and Ainslee Lines
	White-throated Needletail Lower Pappinbarra About 90 birds have been around most of the early morning. Ian Kerr
Wed 22 Jan	Turquoise Parrots Nerriga Rd, South of Nowra Turquoise Parrots (10 in total) seen on power lines 18 and 20 km south of Nowra on Nerriga Rd. [Moderator's note (NH): Only other sighting from this area reported to Eremaea is from 2/9/2012, 4 ind., same observer, #118383. However, Carla Jackett just informed us that Turquoise Parrots have been seen on a number of occasions the past few years on the Road to Nerriga near Yerriyong and at Yerriyong. The latest was only about a month ago by Nerida Hudspith] Ann Millard
	Powerful Owl Lower Pappinbarra A female was heard calling at 12:20 am this morning. Ian Kerr
	Black-faced Monarch Caniaba, Lismore NSW Single Black-faced Monarch foraging in scrub gully adjacent to eucalypt hillside. First sighting; seems too early to be heading North. paul griffin
Tue 21 Jan	White-eared Honeyeater, Eastern Rosella, Spotted Pardalote, Rufous Songlark Biniguy Birds observed whilst on the Gwydir River near Biniguy. Warm morning, 28 degrees, reaching 37 degrees when we left at 10am. In a wet irrigation field, a Cattle Egret in breeding plumage was seen, as were tens of Black-winged Stilts, Red-kneed & Black-fronted Dotterels. A Brown Goshawk was spotted hiding in a bimble box. A Yellow-faced Honeyeater and a White-eared Honeyeater (first for site & area) were observed feeding in flowering bottlebrush, the latter species are rarely found on the plains. 4 Eastern Rosellas and some Spotted Pardalotes were heard calling, which aren't found here in summer. 30 plus Dollarbirds were present, including immatures, a large number. Plenty of Grey Fantails were observed which have been absent the whole summer elsewhere on the plains. A Rufous Songlark was heard calling. Other birds worth noting included: Jacky Winter, mixed flocks of Zebra, Double-barred & Red-browed Finches, a Leaden Flycatcher heard calling, abundant Pied Currawongs, and Golden-headed Cisticolas and Tawny Grassbirds very vocal as usual. Curtis Hayne and Ainslee Lines
Tue 21 Jan	Square-tailed Kite Bellawongarah - Berry Mtn. One adult Square-tailed Kite observed gliding over house yard at 1:30pm. Carla Jackett
	Diamond Firetail White Rocks Road, east of Orange A flock of at least 10 individuals, including young birds (one of which had been struck and killed by a car), feeding on the Pigeon Grass (Setaria sp.) which is growing vigorously for about 200m along the road verges. They have been seen here every weekday morning for over a week. Co-ordinates from Google Earth: 33 20 04.6S, 149 18 50.9E. Tiffany Mason
Mon 20 Jan	Freckled Duck, Square-tailed Kite, Spotted Harrier The Morass Five Freckled Duck roosting on a small sand island. There were also: Grey Teal (800), Hardhead (800), A. Wood Duck (300), A. Shoveler (80), Pink-eared Duck (20), Pacific Black Duck (10), Black Swan (250), A. Pelican (42), Hoary-headed Grebe (220), Black-fronted Dotterel (8), Red-capped Plover (14 including 2 chicks), Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (34). Enormous variety of raptors flying over paddock, lakes and trees: Spotted Harrier (1), Wedge-tailed Eagle (4). Whistling Kite (7), Swamp Harrier (3), A. Hobby (1), Brown Goshawk (2), Square-tailed Kite (1) Ted Wnorowski
	Black Falcon, Cockatiel Lake George (SW corner inc Lake Road) No water in the lake. A large flock of Little Raven (>2000 birds) was feeding on grasshoppers near Lake Rd. A pair of Black Falcons were harassing them. Later they were circling above the paddocks. They flushed a small flock of Cockatiels from one of the trees. I've never seem them around Lake George area. Ted Wnorowski
	Freckled Duck, Blue-billed Duck Bungendore Sewage Ponds Two Freckled Ducks and a single male Blue-billed Duck were in the sewage ponds among other ducks. My count: Grey Teal (>1000), A. Shoveler (56), Coot (120), Hardhead (200), Hoary-headed Grebe (20) Ted Wnorowski
	Australasian Bittern, Spotless Crake, Latham's Snipe Rowes Lagoon, Collector I walked around a whole lagoon and it was worth it. It is still some water, particularly in its north-east corner (separated from the rest of lagoon). This corner was very good for crakes and bitterns. I flushed out A. Bitterns from the bulrushes. It was raining and the crakes were feeding in open (Baillon's Crake -4, Spotless Crake -2). Latham's Snipes were everywhere - I counted at least 33 birds. Other birds - White-necked Heron (36), White-faced Heron - 120, Sharp-tailed Sandpipers - 19, Red-capped Plover - 11, Great egret - 2, Royal Spoonbill -2, Swamp Harrier - 5 (there is a nest in bulrushes). Little Eagle was perching on a dead tree near lagoon. Ted Wnorowski
	Glossy Ibis, Spotless Crake, Red-necked Avocet, Red-necked Stint Sydney Olympic Park Overcast day. Glossy Ibis (2) Waterbird Refuge, photographed. Spotless Crake (1) WQCP, photographed; only my second sighting at SOP. Red-necked Avocet (100) at least, possibly more; highest numbers at this site I have ever seen. Red-necked Stint (1) Coastal Saltmarsh, feeding with the sharpies; rarely recorded at this site. Jenny Stiles
Sun 19 Jan	Pacific Swift and White-throated Needletails Salamander Bay Over 100 White-throated Needletails feeding with about 40 Pacific Swifts above the ridge line. Photo attached of a gaping Needletail. David Mitford
	Spectacled Monarch, Bassian Thrush, Green Catbird Ourimbah Creek RTA Reserve, Ourimbah Present from 7.15 to 8.15 am in overcast conditions and before the cicadas were in full song. A pair of Spectacled Monarchs found at the beginning of the track , with Black-faced Monarchs. 12+ Rufous Fantails seen. 5 Catbirds in total, one pair had a very recently fledged chick, 3 Bassians Thrushes, possibly more and an adult male Euiropean Blackbird. Many Yellow-throated, Large-billed and White-browed Scrub-wrens and Whipbirds seen. Alan Morris
Thu 16 Jan	Musk Lorikeet Woodford Island Nature Reserve nr Lawrence Birding with Judy Leitch. Fine and sunny. This was a short stop for lunch with a brief visit along one of the walking tracks. Bloodwoods were flowering and Musk and Rainbow Lorikeets present. Musk Lorikeet From calls, appeared to be at least 50-100. Both lorikeet species active in flowering bloodwoods. Rae Clark and Judy Leitch

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