Blackfellows Point, S Coast (NSW)

I spent a relaxing weekend down at Blackfellows
Point within Eurobodalla National Park near Potato Point. Saturday started
off by saving a Long-necked Turtle from the traffic of the busy
Kings Highway. Blackfellows Point is an ideal spot for birdwatching, and
wildlife-watching in general. In fact our cabin was surrounded by both
Eastern Grey Kangaroos (40+)and Red-necked Wallabies (30+),
most females with young. At night we had a Long-nosed Bandicoot
on the lawn outside our cabin and Sunday morning an Emu paid us
a visit. Throughout the night the chorus of frog calls came from beside
the cabin. Both Superb and Variegated Fairy-wrens were present
in the scrub behind the cabin and 7 Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos
flew in to feed on the Allocasuarina cones Saturday afternoon. We were
serenaded by the local colony of Bell Miners, as well as Lewin's
Honeyeaters, Fan-tailed Cuckoos and Eastern Whipbirds.

A pair of Pied Oystercatchers
were present on the beach, later moving to adjacent Picaninny Beach. A
visit up the beach to the Little Tern colony on Saturday afternoon
just before the cold front hit revealed 70-80 birds present. In the neighouring
dunes were at least 2 White-fronted Chats (one bird probably bringing
food to nestlings). On the extensive sandflats of Tuross Lake there were
Red-necked Stint (5), Bar-tailed Godwit (8), Pied Oystercatcher
(8), Red-capped Plover (16+) and Eastern Curlew (2) among
others.

In Tuross Head I recorded 3 Channel-billed
Cuckoos flying overhead (a 'lifer' for me). These birds could not be
mistaken for anything else in flight and despite being in the car could
hear their strange calls from the open window. Close by were 2 White-headed
Pigeons on the powerlines. By Tuross Beach on Sunday were 8 Little
Corellas mixing with a flock of Galahs. At Coila Bar a Grey Butcherbird
was having trouble feeding 2 hungry juveniles and a group of 8+ Bottle-nosed
Dolphins porpoised along the beach.

Other sightings over the weekend included
a Swamp Harrier near the Bumbo Road turnoff, and a pair of Red-capped
Plovers at Meringo Beach. On the way home a brief stop at Congo yielded
a pair of Red-capped Plovers with 2 fledglings on the rocks, and
a Spotted Quail-thrush flew across the Kings Highway in front of
my car near the Misty Mountain Road turnoff.

Cheers
Marnix


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