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Spent a few hours today to check out what
birds are about in the Hawkesbury area (about 50 km north-west of
Sydney)
At Pitt Town Lagon there were fairly
good numbers of waterfowl present which included 2-3 Hoary-headed Grebe,
30-40 Hardhead, 6 Pink-eared Ducks, 3 Australasian Shoveler, a pair of Swamp
Harriers, a Yellow-bellied Spoonbill, 4 Plumed Egrets among other common
waterbirds. In long grass in the north-western part of the lagoon, I had
good flight views (side on) of 3 King Quail (a male and 2 females, where I could
see quite clearly the black and white pattern of the males throat and chestnut
belly contrasting with its blue-grey breast). Also saw a Peregrine
Falcon nearby. Much has changed since my
last visit in Oct/Nov 2001, with the water levels quite high and no longer
suitable for many smaller waders though it could be good for Australasian
Bitterns to be present, though I didn't see any today.
At Bushells Lagoon (near Wilberforce), saw 6
Hardhead, a Greenshank, 4 Pacific Herons, 8 Darters etc.
At Bush's Lagoon (in the Turf Farms at
Richmond), there were 3 Hoary-headed Grebes, 5 Plumed Whistling-ducks (very
few than usual), 90 Hardheads and a Brown Goshawk nearby
At McGrath's Hill STW, there was still a
Freckled Duck present (which may be a male with a hint of red on the bill), 25
Hardheads, a Latham's Snipe etc.
Edwin Vella
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