Hi all
after some interesting reports on Eremaea in the week of seabird sightings
off Sydney, I thought I'd see what was around this morning. I started at
Long Reef, checking the ponds on the golf course (plenty of Coots, Moorhens
& Swamphens, but very full, so no mud) and then headed onto the reef itself.
The reef had a big flock (100ish) of Red Necked Stints. A couple were
starting to colour up, with rust patches on the backs and one bird had a
reddish head too. There were about 20 Golden Plover, a similar number of
Turnstone, 2 Grey Tailed Tattler and 2 Sooty Oystercatchers
Sea watching was not productive - there were plenty of birds but they were
mostly a long way out and even with the scope were little more than black
dots. A few Wedge-Tailed Shearwaters came in close, but that was about it.
The easterly sun didn't help, but mostly because it was a bit hazy and the
bright light was dissipated a fair bit, creating quite a wide "no look" zone
for the bins/scope. (I've been to Long Reef before at this time of day and
not had a problem, so it does depend on the state of the atmosphere a bit I
think.)
Before heading home, I checked out Dee Why lagoon (from the Long Reef Beach
car park), which is now blocked to the sea and is full again. It appears
that the water is right up to the reeds, with no muddy margins. To get a
better look I would have needed to go round to Dee Why proper, and I didn't
have time for that. However, as I left there was a large flock of White
throated Needletails circling, from not much more than head height to way
up. My estimate 250+ birds. No fork-Taileds in there that I could see.
Cheers
Tom Wilson
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www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
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