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Hi folks, just got back from a trip to the NSW
South Coast where we stayed at Merimbula for a bit of a break and managed (of
course) to get some birding in. Didn't see a huge number of species - 91 in
total, but did see some interesting birds and spectacular
scenery...
At Mallacoota (Vic) saw over 60
species in a morning around the inlet and Croajingolong NP with the highlights
as follows: A Peregrine Falcon over the cliff south of
Shipwreck Creek (Croajingolong NP), also in this NP nearby saw a number of
Wonga Pigeons. Also in the park saw a single
Topknot Pigeon + a single Wedge-Tailed
Eagle. Around the inlet, saw 4 Bassian Thrush together
under a tree in the caravan park adjacent to the lake as well a
few Little Ravens (heard at least one calling) nearby. On
the lake itself was the largest "raft" of Hoary-Headed Grebes
totalling 250+ that I have ever seen - also was
Royal Spoonbill and a couple of Great Egrets.
On the exposed sand nearer the beach there were the following waders: 25
Bar-Tailed Godwit, 1 Double-Banded Plover, a number of Red-Capped
Plover together with a lone Pacific Gull.
Further up the coast in NSW 25
Double-Banded Plovers (roosting on the sandspit) together with
4 Eastern Curlew, 15 Bar-Tailed Godwit, Royal Spoonbills and Little
Egrets on the Merimbula estuary. Also of interest were 8
White-Headed Pigeon on phone lines along the Tathra River Estate Road
and a Brown Goshawk nearby, a single Yellow-Nosed
Albatross (and not much else unfortunately) at Green Cape lighthouse, a
couple of Pacific Gulls at the mouth of Womboyn Lake, and
a couple of Eastern Reef-Egrets (near Lennard's Is - Ben Boyd
NP and Nelson Bay - Mimosa Rock NP).
An interesting trend that I noticed in this part of
the country (relative to Sydney where I do most of my birding) is that both
White-Browed Scrubwren (particularly) and Brown
Thornbill were very numerous in most places visited whereas in Sydney
I've noticed a decline in numbers in recent years. Also Bell
Miners and White-Bellied Sea Eagles seemed common
also.
Came back to Sydney via Canberra and saw a few
interesting things here too on a quick stop over:
Botanical Gardens :
Crescent Honeyeater, Gang-gang Cockatoo and Bassian
Thrush. Also 4 Red-Rumped Parrots outside
Qestacon.
Jerrabombera Wetlands: 5
Greenfinch feeding on dried Thistles, 35+ Pink-Eared Duck,
a couple of Hoary-Headed Grebes on the river and
5 Blue-billed Ducks on the sewage ponds.
The south coast as many of you know has
spectacular coastal scenery and the 3 National Parks (Mimosa, Ben Boyd, and
Croajingolong (Vic)) we visited were just amazing especially in winter as hardly
anyone was around. I think my favourite was Mimosa Rocks between Bermagui and
Tathra.
Happy birding!
Simon.
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