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Sydney inc Buff-banded Rail at Centennial Park

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Subject: Sydney inc Buff-banded Rail at Centennial Park
From: "Eric Finley" <>
Date: Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:50:16 +1100
Hi all

A few interesting sightings over the weekend and Monday 21-23 Mar in the
eastern suburbs, with a look at the plover at Boat Harbour. Highlights
were:

Centennial Park 21 Mar
- Buff-banded Rail - single bird from about 4pm - waters edge at ne
corner of the Fly Casting Pond. A little nervous, staying close to cover
but showing well. Not found next morning. Haven't seen any recent
postings of rails in the park, my first sighting here in many years.
- Aust Goshawk, Peregrine Falcon, adult W-bellied Sea Eagle
- c 24 active Little Black Cormorant nests on islands in Willow Pond
(poss some Little Pied but partially hidden), c 12 each of Great and
Pied on smallest island in Main Pond, these latter two with chicks at
various stages showing well. Latter 2 showing beautiful breeding plumage
- the Greats with crests raised only at nests. The Main Pond island was
occupied  by nesting Darters last year - I think they have moved over to
Busby Pond.
- Little Egret
- freshly dead Black Duck being demolished by c 6 tortoises in Fly
Casting Pond
- couldn't find the frogmouths in Lachlan Swamp
- havent seen/heard any reed warblers this summer - they were common and
still calling at this time last year

Little Corella 23 Mar
- 360+ flock at Darlinghurst, numbers seem to keep growing

Boat Harbour 23 Mar 0815-1030
- the possible American Golden Plover showing well (thanks to Ivan for
sharing your scope), still with its 11-12 Pacific cousins. I noted only
one Pacific not showing obvious gold and/or black especially in the
face, while the poss AGP was showing none and stood out most clearly due
to its extensive facial whiteness - thick eyebrow, cheeks and throat.
Different jizz - the more hunched look some here have noted - which
seems to extend to shape of the head - the crown looked a little flatter
and the bill also seems to differ slightly, perhaps more tapered at tip.
I wasn't confident at all with the previously noted leg difference, but
primary projection looked good... at certain angles.
- Sooty Oystercatcher 12, Double-banded Plover 3-4, Ruddy Turnstone c
10, Red-necked Stint c 25 were also present with terns and gulls
- 2 Kelp Gulls at the rock platform to the north
- dozens of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters some close in to the beach
- fantastic pod of  30+ dolphins over 500 m offshore


Eastlakes 23 Mar 1630-1730
Pretty quiet
- a few Goldfinches and Nutmeg Mannikins
- Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos 5
- Bar-shouldered Dove 1
- no ducks other than Blacks noted


Eric Finley


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