I spent a few hours this morning birding and back again in
my home territory at Prospect Reservoir near Blacktown (approx. 40
km west of Sydney CBD). The best bird was a Lewin’s Rail heard calling a
couple of time giving its typical “jit..jit..jit..” from some reeds
in one of the inlets. I hope to track this bird on my next visit. Another good
sighting was a brilliant Grey Goshawk proving fairly good for the camera. It
stayed perch in a tree for about 10 minutes. I am thinking that this bird may
be the same as the one that I was told was resident in nearby Greystanes if not another.
There was not much in terms of the Spring arrivals though.
Besides hearing several White-throated Gerygones, I only heard a couple of Reed
Warblers and saw only one female Rufous Whistler (it should be a bit deafening
with both of the later 2 birds).
There was a movement of large numbers of Silvereyes as well
as both White-naped and Yellow-faced Honeyeaters and a couple of Noisy
Friarbirds.
Other birds present this morning included well over 100
Great Crested Grebes (many close to shore, one raft comprised of most of the
birds seen and I had a good view of a pair do its breeding display with reeds
in bill and head shaking – beautiful!), Whistling Kite, Peaceful Dove,
Variegated Wrens, Varied Sitellas, Olive-backed Oriole, Scarlet Honeyeaters and
Striated and Spotted Pardalotes.
Look forward to my next visit.
Edwin Vella
