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I'm just back from a few days at Durras doing a
recce for the COG trip scheduled for 16-19 Feb. Some highlights which
would be nice to repeat then were:
- Pied Oystercatchers. A pair of adults
with dependent chick on a long narrow spit in the middle regions of Durras
Lake. Only a 100 metres or so further along the same spit was a single
adult with another dependent chick. The area of the sightings is several
kilometres from the fenced off shorebird nesting area at the mouth of the lake
so a question for the wader experts is: is it possible these
chicks hatched at the nesting area and travelled upstream, or is the area
where I saw them foraging another "nesting area"? The young were certainly
too young to have flown. It was also interesting to see the young
ones probing with their tiny beaks into the area disturbed by the
parent birds.
- Raptors. Whistling Kite perched not
100 metres from the village boat ramp. As I watched it a
White-bellied Sea Eagle which I hadn't seen previously flew to a higher
perch. Then immediately above the WK was a pair of Peregrine Falcons
circling. Next I heard a splash and looked to see the WBSE about a
metre above the water with a fish in its talons. It flew across the lake
& landed in another gum tree to enjoy breakfast. I had several
other Sea Eagle sightings of possibly the same bird over the next several
hours, plus what was either a juvenile, or perhaps the elusive Durras Osprey
which surprised me with a 3 second sighting as it flew overhead in the
confines of Cumbralaway Creek.
- Kingfishers. Several Sacred calling,
one sighted, plus 6 Azure incl. 2 pairs engaged in what looked like courting
behaviour.
- Superb and Variegated Fairy Wrens, and
Sthn. Emu Wrens, male & female of all 3 species.
- Pied Cormorant, my first sighting in Durras
lake area.
- In the van park a Leaden Flycatcher, at
least 2 White-winged Trillers calling, and 2 male Peacocks which wandered in
from the bush to make their first appearance there. They roosted high up
in a tree opposite my van and their call would easily make the most annoying
list if too often repeate
Cheers
Rod
Rod Mackay
Tel. 0407 456 330
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