The only 3 places I have seen Greenfinches
regularly in Sydney are Centennial Park, East Lakes Golf Course and the track along Magic Pt in Maroubra. Basically only in the Eastern Suburbs. I have
seen on in Seven Hills which may have been an escapee.
Edwin
-----Original Message-----
From:
[ On Behalf Of Cas and LISA Liber (& family)
Sent: Thursday, 26 January 2006 8:31 PM
To: Birding Aus
Subject: [BIRDING-AUS]
greenfinches in Sydney
Where else have Greenfinches been
recorded? saw my only one in Centennial park in the late 70s.
-----Original Message-----
From:
[On
Behalf Of Edwin Vella
Sent: Thursday, 26 January 2006 6:49 PM
To: Birding-aus
Subject: [BIRDING-AUS] NSW Eastern
Suburbs birding (Orange Chat update) - Australia Day 26th Jan 2006
Early this morning, David Mitford,
Stuart Pickering and myself easily found the immature male ORANGE CHAT at
Malabar between the 2 flag poles of
the Rifle range. The Chat was particularly fond of the short grassy area east
of the southern most flag pole and close to the vague track running between the
rifle range and the sea. We watched the Orange Chat for well over an hour
trying to take photographs as it foraged on the ground for most of the time and
occasional perched in the higher bushes. We could see well the black flecking
on its chin as shown on Murray Lords recent photo
of it.
Also seen in this area were at least
3 Brown Quail scurrying about in the open between bushes and both a Peregrine
Falcon and Australian Kestrel.
David, Stuart and I paid a brief
visit to the nearby East Lakes Golf Course where we saw 6 Sharp-tailed
Sandpipers, 3 Latham Snipe (all staying still out in the open. They are usually
very easy to observe at East Lakes),
Black-fronted Dotterels with a chick, 3 Darter and a few Red-rumped Parrots. I
also heard a Greenfinch calling (this being one of few localities where they
are resident in Sydney).
As I headed back home later this
morning, I made a quick dash in and out of Penrhyn Rd in Port
Botany and saw nothing much apart from 2 Kelp Gulls (a sub-adult and juv.) and
8 Bar-tailed Godwits. Public Holidays or weekends are generally not ideal times
to visit this area when there is the usual high level of boat activity.
Edwin Vella
