Dear birding-aussers
Back on line after a few months doing other things. Have just had a week in
Tasmania visiting friends and the new MONA exhibition at Hobart (superb,
well worth a trip).
Visited Bruny Island and found 2x40 Spotted Pardalotes and a Beautiful
Firetail just a bit south of Dennes Point together with Black Headed and
Yellow-throated Honeyeaters,
Near Hobart - 22 Sooty Oystercatchers roosting on the southern banks of the
Derwent,
Waterworks reserve, Hobart - a family of Dusky Robins, Crescent,
Black-headed and Strong-billed Honeyeaters, Tassie Thornbills, family of
Native Hens, amongst other species, and a pademelon looking very fat
nibbling at the dead moss and roots of a fallen tree.
Maria Island - around 20 Cape Barren Geese, Black-headed Honeyeaters, Yellow
Wattlebirds, Grey and Black Currawongs, W.B.Sea-Eagles, and 9 Forester
Kangaroos and a Pademelon. Not much time for birding as with non-birding
friends.
On the Pitt Water at Midway Point and 5 mile Beach, just north of Hobart,
large flocks of Bar-tailed Godwits, Greenshanks, Pied Oystercatchers, 1
Whimbrel, White-faced Herons, Masked Lapwings, 18 Eastern Curlew, 26
Chestnut Teal, and everywhere Pacific, Kelp and Silver Gulls, but very few
Crested Terns. Musk Lorikeets were very noisy in the red flowering gums at
Midway Point.
The weather was brilliant most of the time, a bit of rain, and very
pleasantly cool after Sydney and Gloucester.
In the Gloucester area in the last few months, a colony of about 150
breeding Cattle Egret (counted over 50 nests) have set up in willow trees on
a small dam between Bucketts Way and the Industrial Estate, first noticed in
January, and now with well developed chicks. Nice sightings recently
include 2 Glossy Black Cockatoos, flock of Varied Sittellas and 2 Tawny
Frogmouths during walks in the Bucketts range 11th and 13th March, plus good
view of 2 White-bellied Sea-eagles and their nest on a property on Bucketts
Road, well supplied by the nearby fish farm (they are welcome as keep the
ducks and cormorants off the fish ponds).
On 10-13 February surveys at the eastern end of Curracabundi National Park
added one new species to the Park's total list - a Brown Goshawk! but we
found Speckled Warblers at two new sites, Red-backed Fairywrens near the
homestead, Varied Sittellas at one site, and 3 separate sightings of Glossy
Black Cockatoos. Also unusual was up to 9 Wonga Pigeons feeding on the
Mernot Trail, seen both days. It was extremely hot and birding almost
completely died after 11am. All records here go to National Parks office
Gloucester and HBOC.
Happy birding to all
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