Yesterday, Monday 9th May 2006 I enjoyed a good hour and half (10 am to
about 11:30 am) at Prospect Reservoir (approx. 40km west of Sydney CBD)
from the George Maunder lookout picnic area. This look out provides a
fantastic view of the whole reservoir with the Blue Mountains providing
a wonderful back drop. From here I observed 5 species of raptor within
half an hour including a Wedge-tailed Eagle, 2 White-bellied Sea-eagles,
3 Whistling Kites, a Brown Falcon and an Australian Kestrel. There were
possibly two other unidentified raptors (almost specs through my scope).
This time of the morning (mid to noon) is definitely a very good time
for observing raptors when they start becoming quite active after a
fairly cold morning.
Close to where I was sitting in this picnic area I had a few winter
birds close at hand including an immature/female Rose Robin, a Golden
Whistler or two and a few Brown Gerygones. Also there were the local
birds such as Peaceful Dove, Red-browed Firetails and with several
Yellow-faced and White-naped Honeyeaters passing through a few metres
away from me.
In the reservoir itself there were a stack of water birds (though not
huge in variety). There were 50 or so Great Crested Grebe (they tend to
build up in numbers towards the winter with about a hundred usually
seen), 6,000 Coot, c 55 Black Swan, c 80 Australian Pelican and 600
Silver Gulls.
Over the next two weekends I hope to spend more time at my favourite
local place!
Edwin Vella
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www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
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