Birdline NSW Weekly Update

Birdline NSW

Published sightings for the week ending 31 Oct 2010.

Sun 31 Oct	Cicadabird Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park Bird heard calling in southern part of the park near Terry Hills. Stephen Mannix
	Black Bittern Glendenning (Western Sydney Parklands near Blacktown) This morning at Glendenning, I saw Magpies and other birds having a go at a dark bird in one of the small eucalypts next to the oval. I was about to dismiss this as a Raven but I then thought it could be something else and yes to my surprise it was a Black Bittern!. I had excellent views briefly as it perched in a small eucalypt being mobbed and then in flight but all I could get is a poor flight shot. A bit disappointed in that respect. This is my second sighting of a Black Bittern for this location this year (after the one I had last January). Also at the same time and in one spot I had a Black-faced Monarch, underneath it a Rufous Fantail and a few metres opposite, a male Leaden Flycatcher. Also had here a Dollarbird chasing away one of tow male Koels and at least 3 Sacred Kingfishers. Edwin Vella
	Noisy Pitta Ben Ricketts Conservation Preserve Heard frequently in the rainforest below Barren Grounds over the 30-31 October 2010 weekend. David McDonald
	Wedge-tailed Eagle (x2) Castlereagh Same spot as yesterday morning. Two adults (male/female) perched about 80-100m from road on rubble in field. Very good views. Ákos Lumnitzer
Sat 30 Oct	Australian Brush-turkey Field of Mars Wildlife Reserve, East Ryde A single adult bird in the carpark (1). Stephen Mannix
	White-bellied Cuckoo Shirke Pitt Town Lagoon 1 dark morph bird seen (Note to moderators; You can add this to the other report if you want) Joshua Bergmark, Henry Coleman, Nathan Ruser (Knight Parrots)
	Wood Sandpiper and probable Stubble Quail Pitt Town Lagoon area The Wood Sandpiper was present at the same site as reported a few days ago on Pitt Town Bottoms Rd. 3 minutes before the twitchathon started at the lagoon, we heard what we think was a Stubble Quail in the private property. It called the three note whistle twice and then was silent. Joshua Bergmark, Henry Coleman, Nathan Ruser (Knight Parrots)
	Topknot Pigeon Gwynneville (Wollongong) During my HSC marking lunch break, I saw a Topknot Pigeon fly over Beaton Park in Gwynneville. Always a beaut bird to see! Lorne Johnson
	Wedge-tailed Eagle Castlereagh Cell This morning, at about 09:00 I observed and adult Wedge-tailed Eagle being mobbed by two Ravens west of Castlereagh Rd, over the Penrith Lakes DC quarry site. I have been seeing the eagles here often enough now. And workers from the site have confirmed regular sightings of two or more! Ákos Lumnitzer
	Pectoral Sandpiper Kingston Common, Norfolk Is. 2899 At 4:30pm on the green at Kingston we observed a number of waders - P Golden Plovers x4; Whimbrel x2; Tattler?? ; Ruddy Turnstones x16; Bar-tailed Godwits x 3; and a Pectoral sandpiper feeding quietly, plus x1 Black-winged Stilt. Flying in the background out to sea were a number of birds including Black Noddies; White Terns; Tasman Boobies (Masked), etc. We have come to the Island from Victoria and regularly posted stuff on Birdline Vic. but, we didn't quite know where to report Norfolk's birds, but decided since our post code is 2899, it should be on Birdline NSW John & Sue O'Malley
Fri 29 Oct	Wood Sandpiper Pitt Town Bottoms Same place as seen on Thursday Steven Girot
Thu 28 Oct	Noisy Pitta Berrima, NSW Bird retrieved by dog. Not obviously damaged by dog, however, it died, subsequent to it being handed over to local WIRES people. Bird was located in open farm land in Southern Highlands, between Berrima and Moss Vale. Cleared pasture, with large remnant Eucalypt trees. Nearest rainforest (Illawarra escarpment) is 55 Kms away, at Macquarie Pass. Mt Keira (apparently this species has been reported from there) is approx 90 Km away. Photo of bird taken after it died. Denis Wilson
	Tawny Grassbird, Brown Quail Cnr Cupitts Lane & Cornwallis Rd, Windsor At least 2 Tawny Grassbirds display flying in the rough field on this corner. Brown Quail were calling from several spots and one flew while I was watching confriming the ID of the callers. Also some Chestnut-breasted Mannikins here, and loads of Golden -headed Cisticolas. Also a party of 12+ Nutmeg Mannikins on the 1st turf farm after the bridge leaving Windsor. (This turf farm the traditional spot for the Banded Lapwings; but I'm not sure they will hang around here if they do arrive - as I also saw a Vixen with 4 fox cubs here.) Tom Wilson
	Wood Sandpiper Pitt Town Bottoms Road Wood Sandpiper seen on a small swampy pond on Pitt Town Bottoms Road opposite the small pond on the golf course that is next to the road. (Came in from the golf course, so may have found some good water there too? Possibly has relocated from a very full Pitt Town Lagoon?) A couple of Black-fronted Dotterel on this little swamp too. Pitt Town Lagoon very full and hardly any birds except a Swamp Harrier, active Reed Warblers and Little Grassbirds calling. Tom Wilson
	Brush Cuckoo Mitchell Park, Cattai Pair calling strongly and flying between trees at the "roundabout" at the end of the road through the park. Also several Common Bronzewings at the Study Centre and lots of other activity from Rufous and Golden Whistlers, Olive-bBacked Orioles, White-throated Gerygones and the like. Tom Wilson
Wed 27 Oct	Little Bittern Dam at the end of Montwood Drive, Lennox Head At approx 8.00 am, about 30m from where I was watching, a Little Bittern flew up from the reed bed bordering the dam and flew for about 20 metres before dropping down back into the reeds. This was a far better sighting than the brief glimpse, further away, in January. Jo Wieneke
Tue 26 Oct	Ostrich Moama Barham Road On the NSW side of the Murray in long grass and purple flowers was a gathering of Ostriches. The GPS was 35°38.244'S, 144°21.714'E. They were on the north side Moama Barham Road 18.2 km from the intersection of Moulamein Rd; or 4.4 km from the intersection with Perricoota Rd (near St Anne's Vineyard). They are unfenced so they may travel up and down the road or away from it. Jen Spry per Tim Dolby
	Little Terns Karagi Point Sandspit, The Entrance There were 39 Little Terns (some in breeding plumage) and a few Red-capped Plovers on sandbars in The Entrane Channel, and on the nearby Karagi Point Sandspit, in amongst the dunes were a further 6 courting Little Terns two of which were checking out nesting sites. This appears to be an early start to the nesting colony at The Entrance. Alan Morris
	Superb Parrot (7 individuals) Deniliquin Riverside Caravan Park Staying at Deniliquin between Chiltern and Gunbower weekends, Riverside Caravan Park beside Edward River very nice especially with Superb Parrot flying through! Happy Hour was certainly Happy! Samantha Greiner [per M Alcorn from Birdline Vic]
	Australian Owlet-nightjar, Southern Boobook, Barking Owl Hazelbrook After visiting one of our WIRES volunteers last night I went for a late spotlighting walk near the Transit of Venus track. I heard two Owlet-nightjars, two Southern Boobooks and once the screaming woman call of a Barking Owl. I though the BO was a little odd, but I know they have been reported from this area. I wish I could track it down, but it only called once. Ákos Lumnitzer
	Topknot Pigeon Bilgola Plateau 4 Topknots flew in around 6.15, perched above deck, no doubt eyeing the barbie (q not doll!) and then flew north 2 minutes later. Seen before at Warriewood but not on plateau for about ten years. Alan McBride
Sun 24 Oct	Short-tailed Shearwater Manly Cove 45 beachwashed Short-tailed Shearwaters were seen on the harbour beach and swimming enclosure netting between the ferry wharf and the Oceanworld aquarium. None were alive and all appeared to be the same species. Rafael Furniss
	Little Terns Long Reef On a quick late afternoon visit to Long Reef sightings of a pair of Little Terns (breeding plumage) roosting on the rock platform, out of the wind, with a White-fronted Tern and a few Crested Terns. Also about were the usual Red-necked Stints being very busy, a pair of Eastern Golden Plovers, a Grey-tailed Tattler and Ruddy Turnstone. Offshore, streams of Short-tailed Shearwaters and Wedgetails, with quite a few beach-washed. Robert Griffin
	Black-chinned Honeyeater, Satin Flycatcher Riverstone (about 5 km NW of Blacktown CBD) Along Cranbourne Street, I was lucky to see a Black-chinned Honeyeater calling from a dead tree after hearing one with Mark on the opposite side of the paddock Here I also found both a male Satin and a male Leaden Flycatcher (with possibly another of the later) all present at the same time. It was great to compare these similar species. Other birds found along this stand of trees included Pallid Cuckoos, a Crested Shrike-tit, Varied Sitellas, a few White-throated Gerygones, lots of Scarlet Honeyeaters (a few males feeding quite low down), Weebills, Striated and Yellow Thornbills, Mistletoebirds, Double-barred Finch, Olive-backed Orioles (and their nest found) etc. Edwin Vella
	Black-chinned Honeyeater Schofield's (about 5 km NW of Blacktown CBD) Along Kensington Park Rd in Schofields, Mark and I were amazed to have one Black-chinned Honeyeater call in a flowering Forest Red Gum in front of us in a small stand of road side trees beside an open paddock. Other nice birds along this road including one or two Rufous Fantails, Sacred Kingfisher, the usual resident Brown Goshawk, a family of 4 Crested Shrike-tits, Restless Flycatchers, Eastern Whipbirds as well as a few Scarlet Honeyeaters and Noisy Friarbirds. Edwin Vella and Mark Fuller
Sat 23 Oct	Jacana, Red-backed Fairy-wren, Southern Emu-wren Cattai Wetlands, Coopernook near Taree A morning spent at the Cattai Wetlands, found several Comb-crested Jacanas amongst the water lillies, two parties of Southern Emu-wrens, everyone saw the Red-backed Fairy-wrens, and Brush Cuckoos, Tawny Grassbirds & Regent Bowerbirds were some of the other species present. Alan morris, & 24 other memvers of CCGBNSW
	Black-necked Stork, Great Knot, Varied Triller & Spectacled Monarch Harrington At a pasture area with lagoon, 8 kms west of Harrington, seen from the main road, were 2 adults with 2 very dark young Black-necked Storks recently out of the nest and another adult bird (5 altogether). A Great Knot was amongst the Bar-tailed Godwits on a sand bar in the Manning estuary, and in the Harrington rainforest both Varied Triller and Spectacled Monarch were located. Alan morris & 24 members of th Central Coast Group, BNSW
	Cicadabird, Satin Flycatcher Berowra Valley Regional Park While participating in a Duke of Ed hike, I heard 2 separate Cicadabird calling. Both from the west side of Berowra Creek, one close to Galston Gorge, the other just across the creek at Crosslands. Satin Flycatcher was heard while canoeing as were plenty of Black-faced Monarch, Rufous Fantail and Leaden Flycatcher. Four Striated Heron were seen while canoeing up Berowra Creek. Max Breckenridge
	Dollarbird Bundanoon It's always terrific when, after many years of birding, you still see something unexpected re. common birds... I came across a pair of Dollarbirds high in a dead tree, locally, mid-afternoon. They were perched close together. One started cackling and bobbing his head up and down and turning to the other - it became clear this was the male when it jumped on the other and attempted to copulate! I've never seen Dollarbird courtship displays before and the literature I have accessed says nothing of it... Later, having a beer at the Bundanoon Hotel, I saw two Crimson Rosellas feeding on the ground. When they took off, one bird showed a vivid light green rump! I'm guessing the bird's parents were an Eastern and a Crimson... If anyone can shed any light on these observations, send me an email through my new blog site - http://wildbundanoon.blogspot.com Lorne Johnson
	Dollarbird and Galah fight Castlereagh This morning I observed my first Dollarbird of the season. It was a very vocal individual chasing a bunch of nesting Galahs around their territory from treetop to treetop. It was interesting to watch its aggression. It even chased some Indian Mynas (no worries there) from near their nest hollow in a dead red gum, which incidentally has at least two Galah nests, a Red-rumped Parrot nest, an Indian Myna nest, Eastern Rosella nest and an Australian Kestrel nest. I managed to witness one moment where the Dollarbird and one of the resident Galahs were screaming at each other with the Dollarbird hastily departing, while exclaiming its disapproval. Ákos Lumnitzer
Fri 22 Oct	Common Myna Lachlan Valley Way, 19 km north of Yass by road Single bird roadside at midday. From Canberra population, 50 km away? P S Lansley
	White Winged Choughs Redhead NSW They were very creepy looking. I'm a real novice at bird watching, but these birds made an impact. Jane Vaughan
Sun 10 Oct	Spectacled Monarch Forest west of George Bass Dr, Broulee NSW 2537 Apparently first confirmed sighting of Spectacled Monarch in Eurobodalla Shire. Single mature bird feeding in burrawang and other low shrubs. Continuous burrawang and fern understorey beneath 80% covered forest. Reported to Eurobodalla Natural History Society. (Moderator'Note: There have been recent reports near Ulladulla, and regular reports on the Central Coast which would indicate that the population appears to be pushing south!. AKM) David Rosalky
Fri 1 Oct	Pacific Gull Windang Highlight of the Gong Gang's Illawarra Twitchathon was an immature Pacific Gull, located on the north side of the Lake Illawarra entrance, due west of the breakwater. Two Little Terns were also sighted nearby. Alison Foley, Dave Bourne, Martin Potter, Penny Potter (The Gong Gang)

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