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Dear Birders,
I am surprised that I have never seen a
reference in the birding literature to Lake Moore which is about 1 Km east of
Liverpool in south western Sydney. I stumbled on this spot and have
now been there 3 times. Each time I have been delighted with the number and
variety of birds seen.
I visited this morning in bright sunny weather
with a light and cool breeze. As I arrived a willy wagtail was
sallying forth from a fence and a flock of dusky wood swallows were hawking out
of a tree catching insects. White plumed honeyeaters called from the tree beside
the car. All of which made for a good start.
There were a number of waterbirds on the lake,
though less than on previous visits. Black duck, Australasian grebe, little pied
and great cormorant, white faced heron, sacred ibis, dusky moorhen, masked
lapwing, purple swamphen and silver gull were all seen on, or around the
margins of, the lake.
Flocks of red browed firetails entertained
throughout the day. Spotted pardalotes were flitting down from
the treetops to a newly replanted bank - nesting already? Numerous superb
blue wrens darted in and out of low bushes, all males in eclipse plumage apart
from one brilliantly coloured fellow looking resplendent in new blue feathers. A
small floch of varied sittella burst into a rough barked eucalypt and busied
themselves dashing down the branches seeking insects. They incidentally drew
attention to a golden whitler sitting in the tree saying nothing.
Returning to the car a magnificent adult white
breasted sea eagle had alighted in a large dead tree on the opposite side of the
lake where I had seen a pair last time I visited. All up 44 species made for a
satisfying outing.
Peter Marsh
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