Birdline NSW Weekly Update

Birdline NSW

Published sightings for the week ending 16 Jan 2011.

Sun 16 Jan	Bar-tailed Godwit, Caroline Bay East Gosford While fishing, I observed a flock of 34 Bar-tailed Godwits, 1 Wimberal and 1 Eastern Curlew at high tide roost in mangroves . This is a large flock of BTG's for Brisbane Waters and the location is not nornmally attractive to waders.. Unable to observe tags or flags due to poor light and no binos. Paul Shelley
	Hooded Plovers & White -throated Needletails Racecourse Beach Ulladulla A pair of Hoodies are again back at R.C Beach in the fenced off section .This area was sectioned off earlier for 3 attempts at breeding this season, all were unsuccessful with either fox, flood and disturbance being the cause, so these birds are battlers if nothing else. While checking on the Hoodies a large flock (150+) of WTNT were seen hawking along the escarpment between Racecourse beach and Rennies Beach to the north. Bob Rusk
	Eastern Bristlebird Budderoo Plateau, near Barren Grounds NR A terrific few hours at Budderoo Plateau this morning (with four members of Southern Highlands Birdwatchers) produced the following highlights: at least a dozen Eastern Bristlebirds calling in various places along the Budderoo Track, a fleeting glimpse of a Ground Parrot (well done to Val Cooper for spotting it), a Bassian Thrush (well done to Tony Stanton for seeing that one; somewhat unexpected), up to 10 Southern Emu-wrens (mostly males), a Beautiful Firetail, a male Gang-gang Cockatoo and a White-eared Honeyeater feeding on the ground, by the side of the track. Lorne Johnson
	Pacific Gull Boat Harbour, Kurnell One subadult Pacific Gull present. Other species present included a Kelp Gull, a Red Knot, an Eastern Reef Egret, Little Terns and a Peregrine Falcon swooping at the waders. Murray Lord and Chris Gladwin
Sat 15 Jan	Tawny Grassbird Capertee Valley We were quite surprised to see (and hear another) Tawny Grassbird in the valley but maybe myself and others have simply overlooked these birds in the past. We also had great but brief views of a Painted Button-quail going across the road a couple of times (we saw at least one and heard at least 5 others in at least 3 locations within the valley). We also had Turquoise Parrots in 3 locations, several Plum-headed Finches at 2 locations, 2 Little Eagles, Grey-crowned Babblers nest building lots of Scarlet Honeyeaters heard and at night we saw one of a few Owlet-nightjars and heard a White-throated Nightjar. We saw no Regent or Painted Honeyeaters, but more surprisingly, we did not see a single Hooded Robin (the first time I have had them as 'no show" in the valley. I saw quite a number of Hooded Robins on my last visit in 2010). There were still quite a lot of Rufous Songlarks but only one Pallid Cuckoo seen and 1 Horsfield's Bronze-cuckoos. No White-briowed Woodswallows or Trillers. Too many noisy Cicadas in some locationsand correspomndingly a few birds appeared to be present in those same areas within the valley. Edwin Vella, Mark Fuller and Tony Dawe
	Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, Pheasant Coucal Angophora Reserve, Bilgola Plateau Both species heard over the past couple of days. The Coucal has been resident in the area for at least 3 years now. Henry Coleman
	Plumed Whistling-duck Tallawarra Ash Ponds near Wollongong 10 Plumed Whistling-ducks were sighted during an Illawarra Birders field trip to the Ash Ponds. These birds are rare in the Illawarra. Illawarra Birders
	Wandering Tattler Soldiers Point Rock Shelf, Norah Head Single Wandering Tattler observed roosting on rocks on the southern side of the rock platform with 4 Grey-tailed Tattlers and about 8 Ruddy Turnstones at high tide. Allan Richardson
	Little Bittern, Australasian Bittern, Square-tailed Kite Gulpa Creek, Mathoura, Deniliquin district Heard about twenty Little Bitterns today along the Gulpa Creek, saw one; heard two Australasian Bitterns, saw one. Also observed a Square-tailed Kite interacting with a Little Eagle and a Swamp Harrier. Estimates of breeding waterbird numbers in the rookery can be found on the additional information page. Philip Maher
	Chestnut-rumped Heathwren, Leaden Flycatcher. Mt Ku-ring-gai walking track, Mt Ku-ring-gai Chase NP. A pair of Chestnut-rumped Heathwrens, about 1 km in from the Mt Ku-ring-gai end of the track. A male Leaden Flycatcher was along the Cown Creek on the same trail nearer to Apple Tree Bay. Otherwise quiet apart from huge cicadas and Copper-tailed Skinks. Tony Keene
	Striped Honeyeater Mary Street, Gorokan, NSW A single adult feeding in Callistemon cv. Dawson River Weeper in my back yard. Carl Clifford
Fri 14 Jan	Regent Honeyeater, Spotted Quail-thrush 1 km N of St Albans A revisit to Bas Hensen's site at St Albans found 2 seperate birds feeding in flowering Black Bean trees, one bird was a grey coloured juvenile, the other a more mature bird with adult plumage. Other interesting birds present were a Brush Cuckoo and a pair of Rainbow Bee-eaters. Later, at the Bucketty waterhole, near the junction of the St Albans Rd and George Downs Drive Bucketty, a single Spotted Quail-thrush crossed the road, and Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters and a pair of Golden Whistlers with dependent young were seen here. Alan Morris & Laurie Smith
	Pacific Baza Anderson Park, Neutral Bay Fleeting observation as being chased through trees at dusk. Phil Murray
	Little Lorikeet Castlereagh Nature Reserve, south of Windsor. Up to 30 seen around, above and feeding in the reserve. Good numbers and very pleasing to see so many. Some Musk, many Rainbows also and probably Scaly-breasted but non confirmed. Alan McBride
	Red-necked Avocet Ellalong Lagoon (nr Cessnock) Early this morning there were 15 Red-necked Avocets at Ellalong Lagoon. Simon Blanchflower
	Little & Gull-Billed Terns, plus Glossy Black-Cockatoo Narrawallee Beach Ulladulla This morning, 5 Gull - Billed Terns were reliably seen flying south along the beach at Narrawallee, and at Burrill Lake entrance, .9 klms further south, 23 Little terns were on the roosting on the new sandbars exposed since the recent opening of the lake mouth. Not only but also, 6 Glossy Black Cockatoos flew along Burrill Beach, the first seen for a while here. Bob Rusk
	White-throated Needletail Bundeena Drive, Roayl National Park This morning I observed 15 White-throated Needletails hawking above and adjacent to Bundeena Drive, east of the Maianbar Road turnoff. Deryk Engel
Thu 13 Jan	White-winged Black Tern Newcastle Ocean Baths A single White-winged Black Tern was seen and photographed with Crested Terns & Common Terns roosting on rocks near the Ocean baths by Judi Thomas of the Hunter BOC. The bird was still there on the 14th. Alan Morris for Judi Thomas
	Musk Lorikeet Macquarie Park After an apparent absence of half a year or so, I first heard and then saw 4 Musk Lorikeets at the periphery of the campus of Macquarie University. Frank Valckenborgh
	Glossy Black-Cockatoo Pearl Beach 3 birds flying over at 7.30pm (Amethyst Street). Dollarbird also present for the last several days on Patonga Drive. Charles Hunter
	Little Tern Karagi Point, The Entrance The 18 prs of Little Terns at Karagi Point, The Entrance have had 32 nesting attempts and have so far fledged 21 chicks and it is expected that more will fledge as there are still a number of large and small chicks, inside the fenced nesting area while at least 5 birds are still sitting on eggs.This is a great result and justifies all the efforts of the government agencies, Wyong Council and volunteers who had the fence erected around the colony and subsequently monitored the site each day. Up to 160 non-breeding Little terns are also present and 3 pairs of Red-capped Plovers have also managed to nest and raise 1 or 2 chicks each, while Common Terns, Pied & Sooty Oystercatchers, Red-necked Stints and a Sanderling have been regular vistors to the site. Alan Morris & Christina Port
Wed 12 Jan	Dollarbird Bicentennial Park, Homebush Bay One bird observed sitting on a dead tree that is present within Nuwi Wetland (this being present near the Mountain X and Archery Centre). Bird observed on a "central island" whilst standing on bridge that links the Mountain X and Archery Centre. Deryk Engel and Stephen Bloomfield
	Australian Painted Snipe North of Wanganella area, Deniliquin district One male Australian Painted Snipe spotlighted in a table drain north of Wanganella. Also in the general vicinity, separate sightings of a male and a female Red-chested Buttonquail. Philip Maher
Tue 11 Jan	Beautiful Firetail Royal National Park A male Beautiful Firetail was observed foraging on grass seeds along Mount Bass Firetrail, this being to the west of the Maianbar - Bundeena Road intersection. Deryk Engel
	White-necked Petrel Mistral Point, Maroubra A White-necked Petrel was seen screaming south today, also seen 15-20 Pomarine Jaegers and 4 species of Shearwater ( Wedge-tailed, Short-tailed, Fluttering and Sooty) Tomorrow arvo looks good ! David Mitford, Ray Gobbe and Bas Hensen
Mon 10 Jan	Buller's Shearwater Mistral Point, Maroubra A Buller's Shearwater, possibly two, off Mistral Point mid-morning today. One bird close in, below the carpark, and given Dave Mitford's report from Friday, there may well be a few about, close to shore at the moment - so well worth a look! Robert Griffin and Ray Gobbe
Sun 9 Jan	Little Penguin Lighthouse Point, Port Macquarie Single Little Penguin present at Lighthouse Point. Tim Morris
	Budgerigar Conargo - Carrathool Road, near Mabins Well Road Flock of approx. 50 flushed from roadside edge where they were feeding on grass seeds. David Parker
Sat 8 Jan	Jabiru (Black-necked Stork) Gumma, via Macksville, NSW Single bird sighted in pasture land after sustained rain Richard Savage
	Turquoise Parrot Warumbungle NP Single female seen on Spirey Lookout Track. Conrad Webb
	White-throated Needletails St Albans 20-30 (up to 50) Needletails appear almost every evening, after about 6-7 pm. Last seen 7,8,9 Jan. As dark falls they come lower over the ridges, 1-2 km north of St Albans. I observed the same over the last few years, and I presume they come here to roost. Bas Hensen
	Regent Honeyeater St Albans A single juvenile Regent Honeyeater was sighted both Sat and Sun mornings, feeding on flowering black bean trees 1 km north of St Albans. This is the sixth Regent sighting at this locality in the last ten years. Bas Hensen
Fri 7 Jan	White-winged Fairywren Macquarie Marshes Family party of about 5 or 6 including 2 mature males seen along Gibson Way on fence wires Conrad Webb
Thu 6 Jan	Freckled Duck, Magpie Goose Macquarie Marshes 2 Frecked Ducks observed at dusk, female and male with breeding plumage. Also good numbers of Magpie Geese, at least 10, seen Conrad Webb
Thu 30 Dec	Lesser Sand Plover Long Reef Three individuals of this species were seen today, associated with the more usual suspects at this well-known site. Frank Valckenborgh
Mon 27 Dec	Powerful Owl Lane Cove NP At one of the usual sites adjacent to Porters Creek, there was a family of 3 Powerful Owls. Frank Valckenborgh

Birdline NSW is sponsored by Birding NSW, Birds Australia - Southern NSW & ACT and Cumberland Bird Observers Club and co-ordinated and hosted by Eremaea Birds.

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