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Yesterday morning in the Hawkesbury area myself, Tony Palliser
and Andrew Stafford had a few interesting sightings at:
(1) McGraths Hill STW (off Windsor
Rd, east of Windsor) - atleast 6-7 Baillons and 4 Australian
Crakes, and an Immature Australian Shelduck was seen. A female
Red-backed Button-quail was seen there a week ago in a
lucerne crop before it was mowed down. These Button-quails do occassionly turn
up in Sydney but are not frequently reported. How far south do they go? There
are museum specimens from Maroubra, La Perouse etc in Sydney's southern suburbs.
I have seen 2 females and a male on one occassion at Richmond 2 years
ago.
(2) Pitt Town Bottoms Rd (off Pitt
Town Rd, between McGraths Hill and Pitt Town) - we also checked for
Quail here as the habitat looked good. We did not see any but Andrew saw a Tawny
Grassbird and I flushed a Red-bellied Black Snake.
(3) Pitt Town Lagoon -
Conditions are now ideal for waders with the water level just right but not a
single Sandpiper was sighted yesterday. There was however 10 Pacific Herons, 100
plus Pink-eared Ducks, some Australasian Shovelers and Hardheads, 5-6 Lathams
Snipe and a Peregrine Falcon threatening the local avian community.
Regards
Edwin
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