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Hi Birders,
On Thursday evening Ken Shingleton, when checking
out his home patch around South West Rocks, found a Redshank in a small
freshwater swamp with some Pied Stilts and at least 5 newly arrived Latham's
Snipe at Jerseyville, a few KM west of South West Rocks. The bird was near the
road and flushed when he got out of the vehicle. It flew across the road to an
adjoining wetland and subsequently flushed from there when a raptor (Swamp
Harrier?) cruised over the wetland. It disappeared from view. Later that evening
Ken found it about 1 km away on another swamp, not accessible from the road. He
rang me to let me and I arranged along with Robin and Allan Benson to visit the
site today 16/9/00. Yesterday Tony Bischoff and Brian Curtis went with Ken to
see the bird and confirmed his identification.
We found the bird today where it has been the last
3 days feeding in a brackish marsh near the Macleay River and associating with a
Pied Stilt. It was pretty wary but good views were had. The bird appeared to be
in non-breeding plumage. The bird was not close enough for a good
photograph.
Unfortunately this bird is on private property and
the owner does not want people on his land except unless they are with Ken. It
cannot be seen from the road as it is across one paddock. Anyone who wants
further info should contact me via Email.
This will be the first confirmed record for NSW (if
accepted) two previous records at Wallagoot Lake 1987 and Long Reef 1996 were
either not accepted by the NSWORAC or not confirmed as no submission was
made.
Alan Morris
NSWFOC Records Officer
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