Ulladulla, NSW South Coast: 17-24 January 2009

[Marnix Zwankhuizen <>]

Just back from a week on the NSW south coast based at Mollymook. Got to do some birding most mornings at various local sites although I dipped on seeing my target species - Channel-billed Cuckoo - despite staking out some large fruiting figs. The old fig tree in Milton was not fruiting.

The house we stayed in backed onto littoral rainforest which mean't we had some nice birds visiting including Variegated Fairy-wren, Eastern Whipbird resident pair and nesting Lewin's Honeyeaters - the beautiful nest was literally on the back verandah with two little chicks ensconced within. On Wednesday they had opened their eyes and mum or dad was bringing them juicy green grubs.

Birds of interest included:

• Spectacled Monarch - Yatteyattah NR (1). Probably the same bird which was originally reported last summer.
  
• Beautiful Firetail - Little Forest Plateau, Morton NP (3). I was able to 'squeak' them in close for great views.
• Southern Emu-wren - Little Forest Plateau, Morton NP (6). Quite easy to find this time around.
• Large-billed Scrubwren - Mt Kingiman, Morton NP (family group of 5) and Yatteyattah NR (2).
  
• Green Catbird - Yatteyattah NR (>6). Best close-up views ever of 3 at once.
• Brown Cuckoo-dove - Yatteyattah NR (3).
• Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo - Little Forest Plateau, Morton NP (1).
• White-throated Needletail - Little Forest Plateau, Morton NP (10). Cloudless, blue sky. Warm 22 degress. Calm.
• Musk Duck - Porters Creek Dam, Morton NP (1 male).
• White-cheeked Honeyeater - Porters Creek Dam, Morton NP (1).
• Figbird - Ulladulla (2) and Burrill Lake (3).
• Golden-headed Cisticola - Burrill Lake (1).
  
• Black-winged Stilt - Burrill Lake (10).
• Red-capped Plover - Dolphin Point (6).
• Pied Oystercatcher - Narrawallee Inlet (2). Nesting?

Non avian highlights were:

• Bottle-nosed Dolphin - Mollymook Beach (30).
• Black Stingray - Mollymook Beach (1). A two-metre beast cruising the shallows.
  

Having now seen and heard Brown Cuckoo-doves several times I am 100% sure what I heard was a Wompoo Fruit-dove at Yatteyattah NR in March 2008. There can be absolutely no mistaking their call with a Brown Cuckoo-doves'. Hopefully, when I next visit Yatteyattah in March I will be able to record this species again.

Cheers
Marnix