Dear birders
Out around Pitt Town and Mitchell Park last Sunday
with 6 other oh so keen birders- we had a super lunch
at Mitchell - yes Edwin a beautiful day!
At Pitt Town Lagoon between 9.30 and 10.30 am. we
walked to the left only (not to the mound). There were
over 100 Pink-eared Duck - most over the far left side
but about 40 in front of the fence beyond which one
cannot go, together with about 10 Freckled Duck. Also
good numbers of A.Shovelers, 100s of Grey Teal, 3
White-necked Herons, Black-fronted and Red-kneed
Dotterel (including 2 juveniles with grey
heads),amongst the other usual species. Raptors
included 1 Black-shouldered Kite, 1 Swamp Harrier and
2 Whistling Kites.
Viewing conditions were superb - low morning sun from
behind one, lighting up the Azure Kingfisher's
electric blue back and the pink 'ears' of the PEDs. In
comparison, the Freckled Duck were very monotone and
mainly had their heads firmly tucked under their
wings. 2 Restless Flycatchers kept us company on the
muddy grass by the fence.
At Mitchel Park, fter so many visits when it has not
been present, we found an adult Powerful Owl in a
lillypilly just after the fence posts as one enters
the Rainforest walk - sitting on a very small branch
amongst a confusion of small branches and twigs, about
20 feet up, clutching the remains of a Ring-tail
Possum, at about 2.30 pm. A large flock of green Satin
Bowerbirds were into the lillypilly fruits 30 feet
beyond the Powerful Owl perch.
On arrival at 11.30 am, we walked up the path edging
the Black Bittern Swamp, saw 4 Brown Pigeons and 4
Gang-gangs. Few honeyeaters except the usual Lewin's,
Yellow-faced and White-naped, and Noisy Miners of
course. One female Rose Robin. There were LOTS of
Night Herons in the casuarinas left and right of the
new pump beside the creek.
No sign of Swifties or Regents. The Bell Miners at
Mitchell Park are having a severe and disastrous
affect on the gum trees, particularly the grey gums,
some of which are looking decidedly stressed with lots
of dead branches. The birds seem to be spreading out
more and there were no other honeyeaters near them -
even the Yellow-tufted which were hanging in last time
I was there, seem to have given up and gone where
things are quieter.
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