A recent visit to Forbes Sewage Ponds (NSW) referred to as Gum Swamp turned
up some interesting species. Gum Swamp which is situated on the edge of the
Newell Highway south of Forbes is the discharge point for treated sewage
water into a billabong. There is a bird hide and always a good spot for
water birds
Some months ago a pair of White-breasted Sea-eagles which turned up and
after the usual territorial dispute evicted the residential pair of
Whistling Kites. They then took over the whistlers nest, enlarged it and
have happily set up home and you could say the neighbourhood hasn't been
the same since. The White-necked Heron's that had a small colony at the
swamp have left. The nesting Little Black Cormorants appear to be
tolerating the pair.
Musk Ducks have downy young that only a mother musk duck could love. The
Blue-billed Ducks have started territorial fights so I guess they will be
breeding soon. No Freckled Ducks at the moment.
The following is a list of species observed this day.
Australian Wood Duck
Blue-billed duck (8)
Musk Duck (10 + 2 downy young)
Black Swan (6 + 3 downy young)
Pacific Black Duck
Australian Shoveler
Pink-eared Duck
Grey teal
Chestnut Teal (2)
Australasian Grebe
Great Cormorant
Little black Cormorant
Australian Pelican
White-faced Heron
Australian White Ibis
White-breasted Sea-eagle (2)
Peregrine Falcon (1)
Dusky Moorhen
Purple Swamphen
Eurasian Coot
Silver Gull (1)
Feral Pigeon
Crested Pigeon
Galah
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Eastern Rosella
Red-rumped Parrot
Laughing Kookaburra
Brown Treecreeper
Striated Pardalote
White-plumed Honeyeater
Grey Shrike-thrush
Restless Flycatcher
Willie Wagtail
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Magpie-lark
Australian Magpie
Australian Raven
White-winged Chough
Welcome swallow
Tree Martin
Little Grassbird
Common Starling
Neville Schrader
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