On Monday 24th April visited the following sites around the Hunter
(about 150km north of Sydney) :
Collieroy Dam, RICHMONDVALE (about 25km west of Newcastle)- Had a
good run up the Sydney-Newcastle freeway to this area which only took 1 and ½
drive from Sydney to get there. Saw a pair of White-bellied Sea-eagles,
Whistling Kites catching fish, a Musk Dusk very closeby calling
and displaying (its whistling call dominated the valley), atleast 15
Comb-crested Jacanas (several adults with many young birds aswell),
Grey-crowned Babblers, flock of Tree Martins among Welcome
Swallows, a flock of 9 Little Lorikeets flying very high over the area
and large flocks of Yellow-faced and White-naped
Honeyeaters.
In the nearby Spotted Gum-Iron bark forest further up the road, I pulled over
the side of the road to do a brief Survey for Swift Parrots. None were seen, but
there were large numbers of the Honeyeaters just mentioned aswell as lesser
number of Brown Headed, Fuscous and Scarlet Honeyeaters
(the later were not singing but were giving their less distinct "tss..tss"
call). Two interesting raptor sightings here was a dark-phase Little
Eagle briefly soaring over and a Collared Sparrowhawk
slowly flying through. I also heard Rose Robins here aswell.
Drove onto Seaham via Maitland, Morpeth and Millers Forest with hundreds of
Straw-necked and Sacred Ibis seen beside the road (many have probably moved to
the coast from their inland breeding areas).
SEAHAM (about 20 km north-west of Newcastle) - At Seaham Nature
Reserve, a single White-throated Gerygone was seen singing away (most
have moved up north by now). Not much waterbirds in the wetland, with only a
single Magpie Goose and a few Chestnut and Grey Teal and Black Ducks were
present. All the Cattle Egrets have left this breeding area and 15-20 Royal
Spoonbill were still there (which have also finished breeding). What was
interesting to see and hear were 3-4 Torressian Crow around Seaham Swamp
Nature Reserve, (which I have encountered before in this area a few years ago)
and are probably about the southern limit in their distribution down our east
coast.
Some of the Spotted Gums in the area were in flower but were attracting only
Rainbow and Scaly-breasted Lorikeets and some
Blue-faced Honeyeaters.
I briefly inspected the housing development at Glen Oak ( a little north of
Seaham) and saw a few new homes progressing on fine on the edge of the Spotted
Gum forest. Some Jacky Winters, Double-barred Finches
and Yellow-rumped Thornbills were seen on the front
lawn in front of one of the new homes. Also seen closeby was a single flock of
atleast 35 White-winged Chough.
IRRAWANG SPILL WAY (Raymond Terrace) (about 15km north west of
Newcastle) - Obtained permission from the people who run the Waste Depot
at Raymond Terrace to enter the area, were I was able to obtain good views of
this large expanse of swamp from high up the hill and beside a large quarry. A
scope was needed as much of the birds were seen far away, but I was capable of
getting access much closer to this swamp to see a few birds much closer.
Black Swans were numerous and there was large flocks of
waterfowl seen at a distance. In the air were 3 White-bellied Sea-Eagles
(a pair and a juv./Imm. bird), Whistling Kites and a Swamp
Harrier, and both White-breasted Woodswallows and Welcome Swallows
were quite numerous about the tip and the swamp. A Brown Goshawk was seen
not far from the swamp aswell as 3 Brown Falcons (all seen hovering like
Black-shouldered Kites but more clumsily).
