NEWCASTLE AREA, NSW - 11TH APRIL 1998
Like many other keen birdos, myself, Lorne Johnson and Dean Portelli
unfortunately missed out on the Black-backed Wagtail at the Glendale
Shopping Centre (south-west of Newcastle City). We put in 3 hours in the
morning and 2 hours in the afternoon for the bird without any luck. With
experience, there are always some species to be missed, but I am very
satisfied with all the goodies I have seen in the past few months in the
Newcastle District (most notably the Yellow Wagtails, Ruff and
White-winged Black Terns in breeding plumage). It was very unusual to be
birding in a shopping centre car park, especially when there were crowds
of people out there doing there Easter shopping. Nothing really
interesting was seen here, apart from a pair of Kestrels and Pied
Butcherbirds.
We decided that rather than spend a whole day in a boring car park, we
should atleast see what is about in some of the better birding places in
Newcastle. Results were 200 plus Sharp-tailed Sandpipers (one had a red
tag on its right leg), 100 plus Red-necked Stints, 2 Greenshanks, 2
Red-kneed Dotterels and 3 Double-banded Plovers at Kooragang Island;
Lesser Golden Plovers (including the full breeding plumaged bird seen in
the previous weekend) and other regular waders aswell as 23 Gull-billed
Terns at Stockton; and finally, some Common Terns still present at
Newcastle Harbour.
HAWKESBURY AREA, NSW - 13TH APRIL 1998
Yesterday morning I visited a few places in the Hawkesbury including :
1) McGraths Hill STW - 1 Glossy Ibis, 10 Red-kneed Dotterels, 22
Australasian Shovelers but no migratory waders about, not even
Double-banded Plovers.
2) Richmond Turf Farms - Atleast 24 Plumed Whistling-ducks still present
aswell as a few Australasian Shovelers.
3) Yurramundi - A Common Sandpiper (in breeding plumage) was feeding on
aquatic insects beside the running water (Hawkesbury-Nepean River) under
Yurramundi bridge. (always a delightful wader to watch and I took about
20 minutes of video on the bird). 2 Azure Kingfishers also flew past
under the bridge.
A fairly enjoyable weekend
Edwin Vella
P.S.
I have some questions regarding Red-necked Phalaropes (a species I would
hope to see one day) if anyone can address:
1) Is the bird in Victoria still present ? How long has it been there
for?
2) Are Red-necked Phalaropes still being seen on a regular basis near
Perth ?
3) Has there been any recent sightings in NSW ? Have they been seen on
any of our Pelagic Trips
4) Where are there main wintering grounds in SE Asia ?
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