This morning (12th November 2006), I enjoyed another great morning at
Prospect Reservoir (approx. 40km west of Sydney CBD).
As with my last visit a month ago, there was an excellent number and
diversity of open forest/woodland. The pair of Grey Goshawks now have
one fluffy chick on their nest (this same pair had 2 chicks last year),
with one of the adult Goshawks guarding the nest while the other was out
hunting. Other interesting birds in the dry forest included a Painted
Button-quail; an Australian Hobby; good numbers of both Fan-tailed and
Horsfield's Bronze-cuckoos (particularly the later species. A good
cuckoo season at Prospect); a few Channel-billed Cuckoos; a Rufous
Songlark; several White-winged Trillers (about 5 pairs seen together in
one small area but I expect many more elsewhere around the reservoir); 3
Crested Shrike-tits (2 locations); a few Golden and loads of Rufous
Whistlers; a Black-faced Monarch or two (quite late for this passage
migrant); several Leaden Flycatchers; many Rufous Fantails (several stay
through to December at Prospect and I wonder if they breed in the dry
forest around the reservoir!); many Variegated Wrens; several
White-throated Gerygones; Weebills; Varied Sitellas; a few Brown-headed
and numerous Scarlet Honeyeaters (they later species seem to hang out
all year at Prospect); Striated Pardalote; Olive-backed Oriole and Dusky
Woodswallows hawking insects low over the canopy.
In and around the reservoir itself 100 Great-crested were still present
as well as 60 Australian Pelicans; 40 Black Swan; 2 Latham's Snipe; 2
Whistling Kites; one of the resident adult White-bellied Sea-eagles;
Little Grassbird; many Reed Warblers etc.
There were also a few groups of Eastern Grey Kangaroos, a nice sized
Lace Monitor and both Dwarf Green and Bleating Tree Frogs (Litoria
fallaz and detata) calling around the reservoir.
Sydney birding is sure great at the moment!
Edwin Vella
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