Hi Birders,
Anne & I moved into our new house at Bateau Bay, NSW Central Coast on 17 May
2002, and on that day found that there were about 280 Swift Parrots feeding
in the flowering Bloodwoods and Swamp Mahogany, and feeding on lerps in the
Blackbutts that were located around our house as garden, street trees and in
the adjacent Wyrrabalong NP. The birds stayed until August but numbers at
our place gradually dropped away but bigger concentrations formed nearby and
elsewhere in Wyong Shire..
In 2003 only small numbers were present (max 20+) around our house 20-27
May, but remained until 23 June at Sutton Reserve, Bateau Bay, about 500m to
the north of our house, where they were feeding in Swamp Mahogany.
On Friday 14 May 2004 I heard the unmistakable call of some Swift Parrots at
Sutton Reserve, Bateau Bay.but could not located them. While having a late
breakfast on a glorious autumn morning this morning (16/5) on our balcony I
again heard Swift Parrots calling but could not see them. Finally this
afternoon, at Sutton Reserve I saw 7 adult and immature Swift Parrots
feeding in flowering Swamp Mahogany, while about 400m to the north in
Patmore Street, Bateau Bay, I heard atleast 2 more. This means that in four
out of the last five years, Swift Parrots have been recorded at Bateau Bay
in & around Sutton Reserve. Had I moved here earlier, maybe they may have
been seen even more often!
These Swift Parrots at Bateau Bay were not the first this season for the
Central Coast, as the day before, Thursday 13/5/04, 12 were seen feeding in
some flowering Swamp Mahogany street trees in urban Kariong, just west of
Gosford. They have visited these trees each day since!
Over this weekend, 26 people, members of the Central Coast Regent Honeyeater
Volunteer Operations Group, and or the Central Coast Group of Birding NSW
have been to 54 sites in the Gosford, Wyong and Lake Macquarie surveying for
Swift Parrots and Regent Honeyeaters.All of these sites are mainly loactions
known for their Swamp mahogay trees which should be flowering now. Most
people, have already reported back to say thay they saw neither species.
However it is good to know that there are some Swift Parrots have made it
back to the sunny but very dry Central Coast. Unfortunately, it appears that
it is too early for the Regent Honeyeaters, or they are going to pass us by
this season.
Many thanks however to all those people who spent their time this weekend
seaching for these two special birds.
Alan Morris
Organiser, Central Coast Regent Honeyeater Volunteer Operations Group
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