I showed some vistors around Perth over the past week. A few highlights :
At Bayswater Bird Sanctuary yesterday, there was an immature Nankeen Night
Heron. It was roosting about 15 metres away and about 1.5 metres above the
water on a dead stump with surrounding reeds. A while later we looked again
and it was swimming around like a duck. It didn't go far, and after about
30 seconds it swam out of sight under some reeds. This is the first time
that I have seen a night heron swimming.
The other significant sighting yesterday were 70 White-necked Herons in a
wet paddock along Stirling Road in Armadale (SE of Perth). Stirling Road
leads of Forrest Road next to the Armadale Golf Course. 50 have been
reported at this site a few years ago. They were spread over an area very
approximately 500 metres by 200 metres.
We found a pair of Banded Lapwings nesting beside Patterson Road (the main
road to Rockingham and Mandurah). They were about 15 metres from the road
on an area of lawn. It appeared that some locals had put two concrete
bricks either side of the sitting bird.
A grey phase Eastern Reef Egret at Mandurah Boat Harbour was also unusual.
Only a few Common Terns (6) at Halls Head and only three Wedge-tailed
Shearwaters offshore.
The number of waders seems to be very low at all sites.
____________________________________________________________
Frank O'Connor Argyle Diamonds
8C Hardy Road PMB 11
Nedlands WA 6009 West Perth WA 6872
Phone +61 8 9386 5694 +61 8 9167 1445
ICQ 14655047 Fax +61 8 9167 1438
Email
Birding WA http://www.iinet.net.au/~foconnor/
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