Birdline NSW Weekly Update

Birdline NSW

Published sightings for the week ending 5 Jun 2011.

Sun 5 Jun	Spotted Quail-thrush Kanangra Boyd NP, 33°49'45.67"S 150° 2'13.18"E 33°49'45.67"S 150° 2'13.18"E Seen on Private Property. Ran along road short distance. Ran into short grass tussocks. Very good views. Flushed. Possible 2 more birds but unverified. Stephen Aveling-Rowe
	Osprey, Glossy Ibis (3) Bushells Lagoon, Wilberforce (approx. 60 km NW of Sydney CBD) Osprey still present at Bushells Lagoon (3rd weekend in a row). It was also seen flying closely with a young White-bellied Sea-eagle. Also here were 3 Glossy Ibis, Azure Kingfisher, Swamp Harrier, Brown Falcon, whistling Kite and Black-shouldered Kite, Tawny Grassbird and obliging Zebra Finches. Edwin Vella and Tony Dawe
	Bassian Thrush Peter Meadows Creek, Kentlyn NSW (approx 4km east of Campbelltown) Two birds observed foraging amongst leaf litter. Michael Paul
	Powerful Owl Royal Botanic Gardens In a Fig Tree close to Government House - holding a flying fox. Harry Roberts
	Grey Currawong Darks Common, Lapstone Good views of immature bird seen while on outing with Blue Mountains Bird Observers group. Call also heard. GCs are very rare in lower Blue Mountains Colin Scouler
	Swift Parrot Sutton Reserve Bateau Bay Small group (8-10) observed feeding on flowering swamp mahogany in the company of other nectar feeding birds. (Moderators Note: Up to 50 presetn at this site on 6/6/11 by Paul Shelley-AKM) Rex Schmidt
Sat 4 Jun	Blue-billed Dick Lithgow STW One male, and possibly a female, present. Murray Lord
	Red-necked Avocet Goran Lake, Spring Ridge, 30 km south of Gunnedah A few hundred Red-necked Avocets have come to Goran Lake, an ephemeral lake in between the catchments of the Macquarie River and the Namoi River. They were not there about 6 weeks ago. There is plenty of water yet. About 100 Australian Pelicans, 100 Black-winged Stilts and about 1000 Grey Teals are also still present (amongst others). See "further information" for photos. Michael Dahlem
	Beautiful firetail Barren Grounds Nature reserve This single bird was observed feeding, 50 Metres past the Lodge on the Griffiths track. Jim O'Shea
	White-bellied Sea Eagle Dangars Lagoon Two Juvenile birds Seen at close quarters Being harassed by several Australian Ravens Max Harris & Lori Warren
	Red-necked Avocet Bushells Lagoon 11 Red-necked Avocet. This species is quiet rare in the Hawkesbury usually seen as a single bird. Keith Brandwood
	Boobook Owl Turramurra (Pacific Highway) Single bird seen flying north, crossing highway from direction of "The Lookout" and northwards along Turramurra Avenue; approx 5:30pm. Possibly came from Sheldon Forest? Tom Wilson
	Regent Honeyeaters (8+), Swift Parrots (5+) Morriset and Chain Valley Bay More than 8 Regent Honeyeaters still present in Morriset at the site they have been frequenting for 2 weeks. A trip to Joshua Porter Reserve also yielded a few Swift Parrots. A fantastic day! Joshua Bergmark, Max Breckenridge, Henry Coleman, Nathan Ruser
	Spotless Crake Tuggerah Sewerage Treatment ponds 1 Spotless Crake seen at 10.00 am, it even came out for a few photos. Also present were, 2 Black-winged Stilts, 1 Shoveler, 1 Royal Spoonbill, 1 Whistling Kite, and may other common water birds Brad Gabriel
	Spotless Crake Mingara storm water ponds 4 very shy Crakes seen from 3.30 to 4.00 Brad Gabriel
Fri 3 Jun	Regent Honeyeaters, Little Lorikeet, numerous honeyeaters Morisset Sub-station Site, east of Morisset Two Regent Honeyeaters and at least two Little Lorikeets observed. One of the Regent Honeyeaters sat and displayed/called nicely. Lots of other honeyeaters and lorikeets present all feeding in the flowering eucalyptus. Paul Burcher, Peter Hosking and Deryk Engel
	Bassian Thrush Ourimbah RTA Reserve, Ourimbah One bird observed. Peter Hosking and Deryk Engel
	Hybrid musk & scaly breasted lorikeet? South Chain Valley Bay, I was on the look out for swift parrots but only saw scaly breasted and rainbow lorikeets at he boat ramp. Spotted the one photographed, feeding with a mixed flock which flew into a flowering swamp mahogany. It flew off with the flock and didn't appear to be an aviary escapee. Do these hybrids commonly occur in the wild or is it just a highly varied musk lorikeet? (Moderator's note; Hybrids are not uncommon in the wild populations, However I would have though that a Musk-Scaly-breasted Hybrid is pretty unusual. AKM) Steve Honeywood
	Chestnut -breasted Mannikin 10km west of Kempsey One adult pair and at least two juvenile Chestnut-breasted Mannikin observed on ground with around 20 Red-browed finches. Only second sighting in 8 years at this location. Male Red-browed finches were displaying with grass blades in their bills and bouncing up and down next to the female. Karen Smedley
	Eastern Koel fire trail north of Corymbia Drive Oxford Falls 2011 Male Eastern Koel calling like a Noisy Miner. late in season? (Moderators Note:There are few records of over-wintering birds, note AM also seen at Merewether in Newcastle on 2/6/11 AKM) dorothy price
Thu 2 Jun	Sooty Owl Megalong Road south of Blackheath In wet sclerophyll forest north of bridge over Pulpit Hill Creek. Seen well and calling frequently (falling bomb and trilling) I have been seeing/hearing sooty owls at this location since 1994 which suggests it is a secure breeding site David Potter
Wed 1 Jun	Powerful Owl Turramurra west Powerful Owl and Tawny Frogmouth both calling nearby 22:00, about half km west of Pacific Hwy. Frogmouth recently (week ago) spent a day sitting on boundary fence after neighbours removed some trees - harassed by Noisy Miners. Harry Roberts
	Superb Parrot Warrambone property, 23km west of Galarganbone 22 Superb parrots in 1 morning I thought was pretty good going. 14 in one group followed by a group of 4 then a group of 2 then 2 single birds. They were all flying in a North West direction. Steve Edwards
Tue 31 May	Wandering Tattlers Cape Byron, NSW Still seeing Tattlers along shoreline, northern beach of the Cape at Little Wategoes Beach rocks, wondering if any one else has any migratory birds seen this late. These ones may have to turn around as soon as they get back! If they ever leave! Duncan Fowler
	Cape Petrel, Arctic Jaeger, Prions and Wandering Albatross Magic Point, Maroubra Eastery airflow today, bringing : 9 Prions (1 close enough to be identified as a Fairy), 1 Cape Petrel, 20 Giant Petrels (including both Northern and Southern), at least 40 Black-browed Albatross, 5 Yellow-nosed Albatross, 6 Shy (type) Albatross, 1 Wandering Albatross, 4 Brown Skuas and an Arctic Jaeger. Interestingly one of the Brown Skuas was soaring along the cliffs tops, like Kelp Gulls or Gannets tend to do, to get a free ride, it went past only a few metres from me at head height ! David Mitford
	Green Pygmy-Goose Lake Smith, N of Coffs Harbour Two Green Pygmy-Geese resighted; also 4 Wandering Whistling-Duck, and other waterbirds as per earlier reports. Peter Richards & Phil Gilmour (per P Higgins)
Mon 30 May	Osprey Burrill Lake/Ulladulla A single Osprey was patrolling the lake this morning. We're hoping it finds a new mate after the other one disappeared after a huge wind storm. The camera installed at the old nest site is up and working and its been seen a few mornings on the nest bowl and can be viewed at www3.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au/tourspot/eagle.htm Bob Rusk
	Green Pygmy-Goose Lake Smith, between Moonee and Emerald Beach, N of Coffs Harbour Following report of Sat 28, two Green Pygmy-Geese again sighted (apparently adult male breeding and adult female). In addition, many Jacanas, as previously reported, quite a few Hardhead, a single Wandering Whistling-Duck, and a lot of other waterfowl. Single Azure Kingfisher, Peter Higgins & Michael Cheers
	Ground Parrot Munmorah State Conservation Area Single Ground Parrot heard calling then flushed for good views. Calling at 11am??? Moonee Beach Firetrail off the Snapper Point Road. Several pairs of Tawny-Crowned Honeyeaters also. (Moderators Note: This is an extraordinary record as there are no previous Central Coast records and the last Hunter Region record was in 1925!) Tim Faulkner
Sun 29 May	Masked Owl Culburra Rd, Pyree A Masked Owl was found sitting on the side of the road, halfway between Nowra and Culburra Beach. Given to a local wildlife carer and at last report is doing well and will hopefully be released in the near future. Martin Filipczyk
	Australasian Bittern, Southern Emu-Wren, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater Limeburners Creek NR Among the best birds here today were a few pairs of Emu-wrens and Tawny-crowned Honeyeaters. Whilst watching a pair of Emu-wrens a single Australasian Bittern flushed from in front of us as well. Matt and Kylie Hinze
	Scaly-breasted lorikeet Bundeena Scaly-breasted lorikeets were amongst the rainbow lorikeets on a flowering swamp mahogany behind the Bundeena pre-school today. Bruce Roubin
	Osprey Bushells Lagoon, Freemans Reach An Osprey was seen again this morning at Bushells Lagoon. also seen was an Azure Kingfisher, both adult and Immature White-bellied Se-eagle, an Olive-backed Oriole, 2 Whistling Kites (one carrying a large stick probably to its nest!) and a good sized flock of Chestnut-breasted Mannikins. Edwin Vella, Tony and Stephanie Dawe, Mark Fuller
	Powerful Owl Gladesville, Sydney Single bird heard giving distinctive double-hoot for about 5mins from a distance, of what I'd say would've been about 200m away. Probably on the edge of the Field of Mars Reserve - heard while feeding the neighbor's cat on Monash Rd. Not the first time I've heard one in the immediate area. Max Breckenridge
Sat 28 May	Sooty Owl Central coast One Sooty Owl heard and photographed.Lisarow Tony Dawe
Fri 27 May	Apostlebird Minchinbury 9 Resident Apostlebirds observed in Pinegrove Memorial Park Lawn Cemetery tony dawe
Thu 26 May	Beach Stone-curlew Brunswick Heads 2483 Sighted three Beach Stone Curlew in the old boat harbour at Brunswick heads. This is a short expanse of beach directly to the east of and adjacent to the Massey Greene caravan park. They all appeared to be adult birds. Did not have camera with me. Alan Lymbery

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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