This morning I was pleased to find at least one recently
fledged and healthy looking Grey Goshawk at Prospect Reservoir (40 km west of
Sydney CBD). Its other sibling may have also fledged as well (well I hope) but
was not seen. The fledgling goshawk featured a heavily barred breast and a more
greyish face (which will whiten with age like its
parents). This fledgling was seen away but not too far from its nest it was
born but was momentarily perched on another nearby nest (probably its parent’s
previous nest) and I was watching this at about eye level. The adult female
Grey Goshawk was also seen perched in a nearby eucalypt.
However I was disappointed not to see any Great Crested
Grebe chicks so I was unsure if the 2 breeding pairs I had observed previously
were successful on this occasion. The water level of the reservoir has risen
since my last visit which may have been the reason. I only saw about 6 adult
Great Crested Grebes today. I have noticed that fewer Great Crested Grebes stay
at the reservoir in summer (and would be the only ones that do breed) whereas
the 200 or so other birds present in the winter there would breed elsewhere
this time of year.
Other interesting birds also found today at Prospect
Reservoir where a group of 4-6 noisy Channel-billed Cuckoos (with one juv. bird.) and some Fan-tailed Cuckoos, 2 Hardhead, 70
plus Australian Pelican, White-bellied Sea-eagle (heard honking throughout the
morning), Bar-shouldered Doves, 3 adult males Variegated Wrens seen together in
one area, a presumably late Rufous Fantail (unless
they do actually breed at the Reservoir! I wonder if they would think the large
patches of privet around the picnic area is a patch of rainforest to them), White-throated
Gerygones, Scarlet Honeyeaters and the usual Restless
Flycatcher beside the fence opposite the Cricketers Arms Hotel (if it is the
same bird, it has been there for years!).
There was quite a fair amount of Mistletoe in fruit/flower
at the moment around the reservoir attracting various Honeyeaters and Mistletoebirds.
Other animals present also included an Eastern Grey Kangaroo
(a small population of Kangaroos live in the reservoir and this is probably the
closest they exist to Sydney CBD) and a few frogs – Litoria
falax and Litoria dentata and Lampropholis delicata (and some may be saying what the hell are they!).
Edwin Vella
