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Hi Birders,
I was on my usual "boys" offshore fishing trip 3-7
February 2000, where based at Woody Head Caravan Park, we fished out to see in
Shark Bay each day. Prior to my visit I had been alerted by Hans Wolnuth, a
local birder, to the fact that he had seen at the Woody Point reefs on 23-24
January, a Roseate Tern and two White-capped Noddies.
The fishing was good, we got amongst the Spotted
Mackerel, caught one Spanish Mackerel, and the usual Snapper and Flathead. The
bird watching from the boat was good too with Fluttering, Wedge-tailed and
Fleshy-footed Shearwaters, Arctic Jaeger, Common, Little & Crested Terns,
Whistling Kite, Brahminy Kite and Sea-Eagles being seen offshore.
Onshore on Woody Point Reef the two White-capped
Noddies were present throughout my stay while an immature White-winged Black
Tern was present on 3/2, along with the usual 2-300 Common terns, alas no sign
of a Roseate Tern, a rarity in NSW. On nearby Shark Point reefs were both
Greater and Lesser Sandplovers and a Whimbrel.
In the adjacent rainforest at Woody Point and in
the caravan park the figs were fruiting and Olive-backed Orioles, Figbirds &
Regent Bowerbirds were common, while Spectacled Monarchs, Rufous Fantail,
Yellow-throated & Large-billed Scrub-wrens, Drongo & Brush Cuckoo could
be readily found. White-throated Needletails were seen each day.
Throughout the NSW coast during January-February,
many breeding seabirds from Lord Howe (and Norfolk?) Islands have been reported
including Red-tailed Tropic-bird, Sooty Terns (many), Common Noddy, White-capped
Noddy, White Tern and Grey Ternlets! I can only assume that the White-capped
Noddies at Woody Point were part of that movement.
Alan Morris
NSWFOC Records Officer
tel 0243-891390
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