CASTELREAGH - WINDSOR AREA (24TH MAY 1998)
Yesterdays Birding highlights for myself and Dean Portelli were in following
areas:
1) Castlereagh Nature Reserve (approx 50 km west of Sydney) - 5-6 Regent
Honeyeaters (still seen in the same are on both tracks 27 and 29. They were
singing vigorously and I managed to take half an hour of video on these
fantastic birds), about 3 Black-chinned Honeyeaters (these birds did not
call much but I managed to see one of the 3 at almost at eye level), atleast
6 Little Lorikeets, a Collared Sparrowhawk (feeding on possibly a
Honeyeater) aswell as a light-phase Little Eagle. There is now less Mugga
Ironbark in flower than a couple of weeks ago, when I first discovered the
Regent Honeyeaters (and Swift Parrots).
2) Londonderry - excellent views of 30 Swift Parrots (in the Park and School
grounds of Londonderry and feeding on Mugga Ironbark blossoms), Little
Lorikeets and 1 or 2 Brown Goshawks.
3) Windsor - excellent view of a Square-tailed Kite (South Windsor residents
ought to be lucky to have such a rarity flying low over their backyards as
this one did. Square-tailed Kites have now established themselves in this
part of Sydney and are a regular sight here), a Peregrine Falcon (which
zoomed just past the Square-tailed Kite), Brown Quail (at the nearby
turf-farms), another Brown Goshawk, a Swamp Harrier and a Spotless Crake
(later heard) at Bakers Lagoon, and finally 3 Barn Owl spot lighted to round
up a very interesting day of birding. Also I would like to note that whilst
sitting on the grass near Bakers Lagoon, in anticipation of seeing Crakes, a
Black-shouldered Kite was seen hovering for a few seconds just almost above
our heads (we thought we were its prey).
That's all for now...........
Edwin Vella
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