Sea Eagle & Dusky Woodswallows

["Marnix Zwankhuizen" <>]

Woodstock Nature Reserve - 27 August 2006

 

I walked from Fairlight Rd to the foot of Shepherd's Lookout today. It seemed a perfect day for raptors with an immature White-bellied Sea Eagle soaring above the cliff before being harassed by ravens and disappearing skywards. I briefly watched 4 Dusky Woodswallows hawking before they also vanished up and over a nearby hill. These are my first since May and I suspect they may be early passage migrants briefly stopping for some lunch.

 

Other raptors included a Wedge-tailed Eagle, a Brown Goshawk (chased by Currawongs) and a Brown Falcon. The mistletoe (A. Cambagei) was in flower in the old she-oaks below the cliff face and had attracted several New Holland and Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, and Eastern Spinebills.

 

Other birds included a pair of Speckled Warblers, both Scarlet and Flame Robins and several Wallaroos and a Wombat.

 

Total species for hike 4 Mammal, 36 Bird and 2 Amphibian spp.

 

Cheers

Marnix