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Outing to Dairy Swamp Tuggerah
& Ourimbah SF by Birding NSW Central Coast Group 1 March
2003
The day started with rain threatening
as 22 birders met at the old dairy in the new Pioneer Dairy Reserve at
Tuggerah, NSW Central Coast. The Dairy Swamp had a good number of waterbirds
including Black Duck, Hardhead, Australasian Grebe, lots of Coot & Grey
Teal, and smaller numbers of Black-fronted Dotterel, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
& Australasian Shoveler. It was especially good to see that there were 7
Freckled Ducks on the Swamp as these were a new bird for some members. Most
people had good views of silent Clamorous Reedwarblers and Little Grassbirds,
while overhead were seen Whistling Kites, a Little Eagle, White-bellied
Sea-Eagle and Swamp Harrier. Eventually we had to dash for cover out of the rain
to the old dairy building.Two Nankeen Night-herons were a welcome sight
during morning tea
On the drive across the paddocks to
Tuggerah Lagoon, the other wetland within the Reserve, most people saw Tawny
Grassbirds & Cisticolas. Little Pied, Little Black & Great Black
Cormorants plus Darters were on the Lagoon, along with a lone female Musk Duck
& 2 more Freckled Duck. Striped Honeyeaters were heard and then really good
views were enjoyed especially for those seeing them for the first time.
Straw-necked & White Ibis and Cattle Egrets were in good numbers in the
paddocks, and along with the other birds seen , we left with a total of 62
species for the morning.
We lunched at Woodbury's Inn Park, by
the Wyong River to the constant call of Bell Miners.Other species added to our
list there included Grey & Rufous Fantails, Brown Thornbill, Brown Gerygone
& Golden Whistler. From here we went to Potters Gully in Ourimbah SF and
although the birds were few and mostly quiet at this location being mid
afternoon, we added Red-browed Finch, Eastern Spinebill, Noisy Friarbird,
Spotted Pardalote, Yellow-faced Honeyeater and White-throated Treecreeper. Our
thanks are extended to Robert, Trevor & David for sharing their telescopes.
It was great to have Sydney visitors and our new members joined us for a most
enjoyable day when we saw 79 species. A corvid was also heard by some at the
Dairy Swamp which sounded like a Torresian Crow but could not be confirmed by a
sighting. The recent flurry of Torresian Crow records in the lower Hunter
Estuary no doubt was in the back of some peoples minds as a result. (Carole
& John Carpenter).
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