birding-aus

Mason Park, Strathfield, Sydney - 19 Feb 2012

To: "birding-aus" <>
Subject: Mason Park, Strathfield, Sydney - 19 Feb 2012
From: "Tom and Mandy Wilson" <>
Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2012 20:13:22 +1100

Hi all
I paid a brief visit to Mason Park in Strathfield (western Sydney) this morning (Sun 19 Feb). The wetland at Mason Park is still not very wet and most of the water, and thus birds, is at the southern end. Scattered around on the dry mud, were 8 scattered Back Fronted Dotterel, a single Golden Plover and plenty of Masked lapwing. In the deeper water along the western edge, 2 Royal Spoonbills fed amongst the Ibis. On the dyke that runs across the wetland, there was a single Lathams Snipe - the first I think I have seen this summer, so nothing like leaving it a bit late! There were no smaller sandpipers though - I assume that the site is too dry for them this year. (Does anybody know why it is so dry? - I would have thought with all the rain we've had, it would have caught and retained some water, irrespective of tidal flows. The adjacent sports fields are certainly soggy in places)

As one crosses round the southern end of the wetland (past the electricity pylons), there is a patch of long rank grasses and in this I encountered a family party(?) of Brown Quail (2 bigger birds, 3 smaller birds). After having them in the long (but thick) grass at my feet and then them flushing, one of the adults came out of the long grass again into a patch that only came 1/2 way up, so I got a good view of the head and back.

As I was in the area, I checked out the Triangle Pond in the Sydney Olympic Parklands. This is very full, but nowhere near as smelly as it was when I last visited. Lots of Chestnut Teal here, plus some very lively and vocal Australian Reed Warblers but no exposed mud. A group (or two groups) of about 10 Black Faced Cuckoo Shrike was busy in the trees around the pond, there were several Figbirds (not a species I would associate with this are) and a Dollarbird called from the trees too. Just round the corner at the Bicentennial Park waterbird refuge, there was another single Golden Plover, lots of Pied Stilt, a big group (15) of Black Fronted Dotterels and lots more ducks. At the far end from the hide was a group of 6 Egrets, which all looked like Great Egret at that distance.

Nowhere around any of the sites did I see any Fairy Martins, so I assume that they have left for the summer.
Cheers
Tom Wilson
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