Welcome to the New Year everyone.
Spent two hours birding Red Hill this morning, one of my favourite local
birding spots on the north side of Sydney harbour. I managed to see almost
all of the specialities of the area with the exception of Brush Bronzewing
which just did not show. It was cool and windy early which kept bird numbers
down, however what did show was very nice to see so close in to the city.
There were Double-barred Finches feeding with Red-browed Finches, Brown
Quail running around on the track and Bar-shouldered Doves in all
directions. I heard a Tawny-crowned Honeyeater call [the first at this
location for some time] and Pheasant Coucals were calling from the west side
of Red Hill towards the Wakehurst Parkway, normally they are on the east
flank [there appeared to be three] I saw one Chestnut-rumped Heathwren
disappearing into Heath Banksia and two Dusky Woodswallows attacking a
Magpie. The magic moment however was five Rock Warblers who came in to my
squeak and went mad clambering all over a small mallee and calling
continuously, all of this less than five metres away. Some were sub adults
so it is obviously a breeding record for Red Hill.
The down side of this is there is a notice at the track head signalling
another stage of development on the east side of the hill. I think this may
be the proposed development of land owned by the Catholic Church on land
originally intended for an university. The notice was rather tattered and
not very legible.
On the positive side there is a move to allocate some part of private land
at Red Hill to National Parks. There was a meeting last Thursday to
discuss[?] this matter but unfortunately I was previously committed and
could not attend. I would be happy to hear from anyone who did attend or
knows what transpired.
It must be the new millennium bug, I am not usually this verbose.
Bruce.
Bruce Cox.
48 Rangers Retreat Rd. Frenchs Forest.
Sydney. 2086. Australia.
Phone:--02 9451 5394.
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