During the past few days (29-31st December 2003), myself and David Mitford enjoyed
some good birding at a number of top birding locations all within the NSW Hunter
Region (approx. 140 - 350km north of the Sydney CBD).
The following locations were visited:
LENEGHAN / PAMBALONG NATURE RESERVE (approx 140 km
north of Sydney CBD)
Here we saw 8 Wandering and 5 Plumed Whistling-ducks, approx. 40
Hardheads, several White-breasted Woodswallows, a Swamp Harrier and Whistling
Kites.
HARRINGTON /
CROWDY
BAY NATIONAL
PARK (approx. 340-360 km north of Sydney
CBD)
Here the most interesting bird was a WHITE-EARED MONARCH near the Fig
Tree car park (near Diamond Head) in
Crowdy National
Park (thanks Nigel for reporting the sighting to
Bird Line). It was very cooperative giving at times eye level views for 15-20
minutes as it called continuously. David took a whole roll of film of this bird.
This is as far south this bird occurs down the NSW coast to my knowledge (any
records for Sydney yet???). Other
regular species seen included an Osprey, Little Egret, 3 Varied Trillers, Spectacled Monarch, a
pair of Crested Shrike-tits, 4 Regent Bowerbirds, White-throated Needletails
flying low over the dunes, Common and Caspian Terns, and there were at least 50
Little Terns in and around the sand spit area (there could be a few nesting
here!).
On our way to Gloucester we
stopped around Hillville near Taree were we saw a male Cicadabird,
White-throated Gerygone and several more White-throated Needletails
GLOUCESTER
TOPS (approx 350 km north-west of Sydney
CBD)
We saw easily 2 Rufous Scrub-birds and heard 2 others at Gloucestor Tops.
We saw one (at probably the most frequently visited territory and were I have
seen them on 2 occasions previously) near the end of Kerripit Rd. Here we had
excellent views (front on and moving about amongst low branches in full view for
a few minutes) of a male singing his heart out mimicking Logrunner, Crescent
Honeyeater, Scrub wrens etc as well as making its territorial call. From
personal experience with this bird, all you need to see a Scrub-bird is walk
slowly to a calling bird and hopefully see it call in a visible area (no need to
use a tape). The other Scrub bird was seen for at least 10 minutes moving about
a log in the Antarctic
Beach walk near the
Gloucester
Falls giving us again superb views
(we clearly saw the barring in the tail and upper parts of both
birds).
Other interesting birds seen around Gloucester Tops included a male Olive
Whistler, a pair of Satin Flycatchers, Rose Robins, Red-browed Tree-creepers,
Crested Shrike-tits and we also heard some Crescent Honeyeaters, Flame Robins
and a Forest Raven.
Along Sharpes Creek
Rd half way to the tops we saw 2 Wompoo Fruit-doves,
several White-headed Pigeons, Rufous Fantails, Black-faced Monarchs, Satin
Bowerbirds and heard Logrunners. At night along this road we had very good views
of a Sooty Owl, several Greater Gliders (6 dark morphs and 1 light morph in a
small area), a Mountain Brush-tail Possum, lots of small bats, a Pink Tongue
Lizard (Hemisohaeriodon gerrardii) and we heard several Boobook Owls, Owlet
Nightjar, Tawny Frogmouth, Koalas as well as Yellow-bellied and Sugar
Gliders.
COPELAND
STATE
FOREST (approx 280km
north-west of Sydney CBD)
A couple of short walks through Copeland State Forest produced the usual
but interesting species such as several Wompoo Fruit-doves, Emerald Dove, Wonga
Pigeons, Brown Cuckoo-doves, 3-4 Black-faced and 6 Spectacled Monarchs, a pair
of Logrunner, several Red-browed Tree-creepers, Green Catbirds and Regent
Bowerbirds. Surprisingly not a single Noisy Pitta or Russet-tailed Thrush was
seen or heard along any of the trails.
Heading back towards the Pacific
HWY along the Buckets
Way, we were quite amazed with the number of raptors
in the one spot (near the Allworth turnoff), were we had 3 Wedge-tailed and 3
White-bellied Sea-eagles, 6 plus Whistling Kites and 2 Brown Falcons. There were lots of
White-throated Needletails amongst them as well.
STOCKTON
(approx 160km north of Sydney CBD)
On our way back home we checked the high tide wader roost beside
Stockton
Bridge. There appeared to be fewer
waders than usual (I agree with David Geering?s comments about the decline of
many migratory species and have witnessed this over the past 10 years. I hope
something can be done to prevent the decline). Here we saw about 250 plus
Sharp-tailed and 200 Curlew
Sandpipers, 300 plus Bar-tailed and 60 Black-tailed Godwits, 60 Eastern Curlews,
20 Great and 2 Red Knots, 3 Pied Oystercatchers and about 600 Red-necked
Avocets. Gull-billed (6), Caspian (2) and Crested Terns were also amongst the
waders.
A good weekend to spend the rest of 2003!
Edwin Vella
