Today’s weather was much more pleasant than the previous weekend to be out
birding. Plenty of birds about in the Hawkesbury (about 50 km north-west of
Sydney CBD), with way over 100 species seen/heard for much of the day. I was
joined by John Rogers for half the time who was lucky to score a lifer for
today. Some of the birds that were around are as follows:
CATTAI AREA (including Mitchell Park) - a Brown Goshawk; Wonga
and Brown Pigeons; Powerful Owl; Sacred and Azure
Kingfishers; several Dollarbirds; a pair of Cicadabirds;
Leaden and Restless Flycatchers; Yellow-tufted and Scarlet
Honeyeaters; Mistletoebirds; Rufous Fantails; several
Striated Pardalotes; Satin Bowerbirds; and lots of cuckoos
including Brush, Pallid, Fan-tailed , Golden Bronze, and a great view of
a Channel-billed Cuckoo in a large Fig Tree. Looks like all figs have
finished their fruits at Cattai NP. John may have also got a glimpse of a Black
Bittern at Mitchell Park.
PITT TOWN LAGOON - this lagoon is quite full with water after heavy rain
a week ago. I had to get my gum boots on and wade in fairly high water. Saw lots
of huge European Carp splashing about and saw a pair of White-bellied
Sea-eagles, flushed 2 Brown Quail (in very high grass), about 6
Hardheads amongst hundreds of Grey and Chestnut Teal,
Black-fronted and Red-kneed Dotterels, one or two Latham’s Snipe,
Wood Sandpiper aswell as Pallid and Horsfield’s
Bronze-cuckoos.
MARAYLYA - GLENORIE AREA - here I met up with John Rogers who got his
first Pacific Baza here. One adult Baza was seen on his new nest in the
same Eucalypt as the previous 2 years nests. It was feeding atleast one chick
(possibly 2) on a tree frog. Also around the area were Sacred
Kingfishers, a White-winged Triller (male), a pair of Jacky
Winters and Scarlet Honeyeaters.
LONGNECK LAGOON - pretty quite hear due to the heat of the day but
watched an Olive-backed Oriole feed 2 few day old chicks in a cup nest.
Is anything been done to get rid of that South American Weed that has completely
chocked the lagoon?
RICHMOND - WINDSOR TURF FARMS - we saw 2 adult Banded Lapwings
with 4 fairly well grown chicks beside Cornwallis Rd (they appeared not to be
much larger when I saw them about a month ago), Rainbow Bee-eaters and a
Black-shouldered Kite. Heard a few Stubble Quail and
Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoos calling in the area aswell.
On my way home saw a Pacific Heron fly over the Richmond Rd at
Riverstone.
I hope others went out birding over this weekend, and love to hear what they
saw.
Edwin Vella
