Birdline NSW Weekly Update

Birdline NSW

Published sightings for the week ending 27 May 2012.

Sun 27 May	Barking Owl Pearl Beach, Central Coast Heard calling on and off between 7.30pm and 10.30pm. Charles Hunter
	Pacific Bazas Shanes Park Air Services site (approx. 10 km west of Blacktown CBD) We spent about an hour at the Shanes Park Air Services site this morning were we had a pair of Pacific Bazas circling high above and 2 male Rose Robins. Edwin Vella and Tony Dawe
	Black Bittern, Azure Kingfisher, Figbirds Nurragingy Reserve, Doonside The Black Bittern was seen again briefly at Nurragingy Reserve in Doonside. At least 4 Figbirds with 2 Olive-backed Orioles were feeding in the privet beside Eastern Creek and up to 8 King Parrots, Azure Kingfisher and Rose Robin were amongst the other birds present. Edwin Vella and Tony Dawe
	Beautiful Firetail Katoomba- Stuarts Road- Bonnie Doon reserve A pair of beautiful firetails at Katoomba (1100 m asl). Location end of Stuarts Road on the track into Bonnie Doon Reserve. There is a strip of heath about 200m long at the end of Stuarts Road. Birds there (and still there a couple of hours later). Anne Carey
	Sooty Oystercatchers Captain Cooks Landing Place, Kurnell Sooty Oystercatchers on the rocks in front of the plinth marking the landing of Captain Cook. A First for me so just had to report it !!!!, 6 birds but very wary Chris Pollard
Sat 26 May	Striated Heron Pearl Beach, Central Coast Juvenile Striated Heron seen at end of beach where Green Point Creek flows into the ocean (near public sea ocean pool). Charles Hunter
	Little Egret Penrith Lakes area Finally I was able to photograph a Little Egret this morning; a species I see with reasonable regularity in the Penrith Lakes area. Sometimes they can be seen near the weir or downstream from there. Ákos Lumnitzer
Fri 25 May	Spotted Quail Thrush, Scarlet Robin Werakata NP, Kitchener Followed a recent post to try and see the Regent Honeyeater to no avail yet again (one of those ghost birds for me). Did see some good birds however including Scarlet Robin, Spotted Quail Thrush, Yellow-tufted Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Little Lorikeet, Noisy Friarbird. Charles Hunter
	Glossy Black-Cockatoo Pearl Beach, NSW Central Coast 5 seen flying to roost close to dusk then another two a few minutes later. Very vocal. What appeared to be a juvenile was flying with a Casuarina fruit / nut in it's beak. Charles Hunter
	Hooded Robin Crown Station Rd, Glen Davis, Capertee Valley Two males seen hawking from fence posts along Crown Station Rd. Mark Ley
	Brown honeyeater Warriewood Wetland Beside southern settlement pond, rare on northern beaches; with white-plumed honeyeater, a visitor every May Carl Weber
	Brown Falcon Brotherson's Swamp. Black Swan Drive Coutts Crossing 2460 11.30 am overcast with light rain. Brown Falcon feeding on mangled carcass of freshly killed Purple Swamp hen on bitumen part of road. It left carcass and flew when my car was about 30 metres away. It did not return. I was unaware that B/F would scavage food. Warren Thompson
	White-bellied Sea Eagle courtship Penrith Quarries (private property) At 06:45 the resident pair of Sea Eagles flew from the escarpment (where their newly built nest is) and flew low over two of the lakes making short yelping sounds. Male below female, close to each other and he would often turn onto his back to mock attack his mate from below. She dodged skillfully every time. This aerial tussle lasted for several hundred meters and the female landed on the bank of the pond further from the escarpment. He persisted to fly in circles, low over her, swooping down at her several times before landing ~100m away in a tree in which they often perch. They were quite by this time. She stayed on the bank preening. Ákos Lumnitzer
Thu 24 May	Masked Owl 30km north of Gresford Single male? Masked Owl seen perched in dead tree in open, farming country. Great views with all features noted. Single female? bird was seen the previous week nearby. Grant Brosie, Robert Kilkelly and Nick Livanos
	Grey-crowned Babbler Morongla Cemetery Grey-crowned Babbler - a family? of four. Alastair Smith
	Weebill, Double-barred Finch Kronos Hill, Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush Went back in cold, rainy conditions and managed a few record shots. Also 2 Rufous Whistlers, 2 Golden Whistlers, 4 Double-barred Finches and flocks of Silvereyes, Spotted Pardalotes and Red-browed Finches. Dion Hobcroft
	Little Falcon hunt in suburbia Mount Pleasant - near Penrith On my way to the train station I observed the small falcon on a low powerline looking intently into a frontyard. Suddenly it stoopped at a bird (not sure of species, perhaps a Spotted Dove or Noisy Miner) and gave chase. 30-40m further as I turned the corner I could see the bird swiftly ascending steeply with the falcon in hot pursuit. The bird escaped and the falcon - with a shattered ego perhaps - turned 180 degrees and stooped back down flying past my vehicle with rapid wingbeats no more than a meter above the grass footpath. Ákos Lumnitzer
Wed 23 May	Weebill Kronos Hill, Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush A pair of Weebills were a major surprise at Kronos Hill-inquisitive and easily squeaked up for repeat excellent views. Probably a first record for this location. Also heard a Striated Pardalote but could not sight it. Try again tomorrow. Also Buff-banded Rail, 47 Bar-tailed Godwits and 30 Black-fronted Dotterels at Waterbird Refuge on 19 May. Dion Hobcroft
	Little Eagle (2), Dusky Woodswallow (1) Abbotsbury (adjacent the Western Sydney Parklands) Saw a pair of Little Eagles soaring in lazy circles heading S over the suburbs, being harried by a Dusky Woodswallow at 1100h today. Dejan Stojanovic
	White-bellied Sea-Eagle Oatlands, Western Sydney Walked out side my house this morning to hear warning birds calling as usual looked up and saw White-bellied Sea-Eagle flying over Tony Dawe
Tue 22 May	Speckled Warbler Terrybrook Rd Llandilo (opposite former ADI site) At least 3 birds in mixed flock with brown(?) thornbills and grey fantails at 4:45 pm this afternoon. Crown land west of Eighth Ave x Terrybrook Rd Llandilo approx 289660 E | 6267770 S. Returning tomorrow same time to attempt photograph. Please advise if you see these birds - 0401 481 037. Peter Ridgeway
Mon 21 May	Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Paradise Rifle-bird Gibbergunya Range Rd Nightcap NP Terannia Creek Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Paradise Riflebird, Eastern Yellow Robin, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Red-browed Finch, Logrunner (numerous as always), White-headed Pigeon, Silvereye, Satin Bowerbird, Fan-tailed Cuckoo. Charles Hunter
	Pink-eared Duck Richmond lowlands Saw two Pink-eared Ducks with four young at Triangle Lane, Richmond lowlands also.Red-rumped Parrot & Zebra Finch (Moderator's Note: This is a rare breeding record for the County of Cumberland AKM) Tony Dawe
	Powerful Owl King Creek, Wauchope A Powerful Owl was heard calling at at 0500 hours this morning. Clive Meadows
Sun 20 May	Red-capped Robin, Pacific Baza Windsor Downs Reserve, NSW Two Red-capped Robins (males) were found near an old dam. I observed Pacific Baza feeding on Fuscous Honeyeater (also close to the dam). Ted Wnorowski
Sat 19 May	Swift Parrot, Regent Honeyeater Carpertee Valley, NSW Wonderful day for birding. Thousand of honeyeaters ( mostly White-naped, Yellow-faced, Fuscous, Noisy Friarbirds) feeding on flowering gums. I found small flock of Swift Parrots (8 birds) feeding on flowering boxes among big flock of very noisy Little Lorikeets (opposite property no. 1897 "Box Grove" - Glen Davis Rd). On the way to Glen Alice four Regent Honeyeaters were feeding on lerp and calling frequently. Elsewhere in the valley: Crescent Honeyeater (2 in the Wollemi NP ), Turquoise Parrots (7 - in several locations), Black-chinned Honeyeater (>10 birds - hills near Capertee village), Spotted Quail-thash (1), Painted Button Quail (1), Black-fronted Dotterels (flocks 2-14 birds in nearly every farm dam), Gang Gang Cockatoo (9), Fame Robin (2 open country), Scarlet Robin ( plenty - hills near Capertee village, Little Corella ( big new flock of 80 birds - competition to resident Sulphur-crested Cockatoo flock), White-necked Heron (2). Grey Teal were still breeding everywhere. I counted 140 adults and 30 ducklings. Ted Wnorowski

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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