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Hi Birders,
Follow That Bird Tours (ASIT) had a
day trip to the Central Coast on Saturday 12th April for the purpose of
viewing the Pelican nesting colony on Ramsay Island, located in Blackalls Bay,
near Woy Woy; looking for some of the Bush Stone-curlews that frequent the
Brisbane Water area; and visiting the Cocobacana area including Cape Three
Points and Cochrane Lagoon. Every one had good views of the Pelican nesting
colony and saw a total of four Bush Stone-curlews at two sites.
The Pelican nesting colony on Ramsay
Island has been operating for at least 14 years, on a low sandy island that was
originally constructed from dredge spoil that was made available as a result of
dredging the channel to Woy Woy in Brisbane Water about 20 yeasr ago. The island
is not shown on any maps! At least 400+ pairs nest there annually and at the
time of our visit, things were pretty quiet in that there were no birds on eggs,
the breeding season apparently has finished. However there were 30+ one third
grown chicks in one creche, 40+ half to nearly full grown chicks in another
creche and about 50 large chicks swimming and loafing around the Island. A
few Bar-tailed Godwits were feeding in the shallows, and there were plenty
of Mallards and some Black Ducks loafing and feeding around and near to the
Island. A lone Sacred Kingfisher was feeding on small crabs on the
mudflats.
Next stop was St Hubert's Island to
see the pair of Bush Stone-curlews that inhabit the Boyd Close and adjacent
foreshore Reserve. This is just one of the 8-10 pairs of Bush Stone-curlews that
have managed to survive in the remaining saltmarsh, mown foreshore reserves and
horse/cattle grazing paddocks that are located around Brisbane Water. The day
time roosts of five of these pairs are readily seen from a vehicle or are close
to a road where the roost site can be viewed. As they are mainly on private
land, it is not possible to go searching for them (and therefore disturb
them), so if you cannot see them from the viewing sites, then too bad! All five
pairs have been seen recently. We drew a blank at St Hubert's Island, but when
standing on the North Empire Bay Wharf, and looking across to the nearby
mangrove-lined islet in the middle of the Cockle Channel, a pair were standing
roosting in their normal spot and enabled all participants to obtain good views!
Feeling elated with my find I confidentally headed for the Bouddi Pony Club
grounds, at Kincumber to check out the next pair, and on cue there they were
roosting among the horses and some tyres used to line a road. Alas the Henderson
Rd Davistown pair could not be seen (no doubt sitting beneath the casuarinas,
behind the Scirpus clumps and out of sight)! While the final stake-out amongst
the mangroves at Saratoga wetlands drew a blank too! However the trip
participants enjoyed great viewing of 4 Bush Stone-curlews, the first ones ever
seen for most people.
Copacobana Beach is the sandbar that
lies across the mouth of Cockrane Lagoon. There were plenty of Black Ducks &
Chestnut Teal on the Lagoon along with large numbers of Swans and Coots, and the
usual herons, egrets & cormorants feeding and roosting around the Lagoon but
nothing special. Our lunch site was conveniently located near to an active Brush
Turkey nest mound but alas the occupant was not home, presumably off some where
digging up the gardens of the neighbours to the Lagoon! Never-the-less, a good
day was had by all and it was great to show some new birdwatchers, some of the
more interesting sites on this section of the Central Coast.
Alan
Morris
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