Birdline NSW Weekly Update

Birdline NSW

Published sightings for the week ending 3 Jun 2012.

Sun 3 Jun	Buller's Albatross (1) adult, Arctic Jaeger (1) dark morph, Wedge-tailed Shearwater (1) Sydney On a whale-watching trip today within 4 n.m of Sydney Heads . Also Northern Giant-Petrel (1) juvenile, Campbell Albatross (2), Shy Albatross (2), Yellow-nosed Albatross (20), Black-browed Albatross (10), Brown Skua (4) and Fluttering Shearwater (20). Dion Hobcroft and David James
	Bassian Thrush Fitzroy Falls One bird seen on West Rim track, not far from main falls lookout, in thick mist/fog, about 5pm. Lorne Johnson
Sat 2 Jun	Regent Honeyeaters, Swift Parrots, Gang-gang Cockatoos Werakata NP (Kearsley Firetrail) & Werakata SCA (Pelton Rd) This morning along the Kearsley Firetrail in Werakata National Park we saw about 10 Regent Honeyeaters, a few Swift Parrots, 4 Black-chinned and loads of other Honeyeaters, a pair of Gang-gang Cockatoos, 50 plus Little Lorikeets and heard both Brown Treecreepers and a Rose Robin. At nearby Werakata State Conservation Area along Pelton Rd, we saw another 5 or 6 Swift Parrots, 100 plus more Little Lorikeets and had 5 Dusky Woodswallows circling high above the forest. Edwin Vella. Tony and Stephanie Dawe
	Little lorikeet Watagan NP Huge number of little lorikeets high in canopy,also swift parrots & gang-gang cockatoo's. Tony & Stephanie Dawe & Edwin Vella
	Yellow-tufted, Fuscous, White-naped and Yellow-faced Honeyeaters Ringwood Tank State Forest (north of Corowa) A number of unusual honeyeaters (for this area) and also some overwintering birds were observed this morning. The box-ironbark forests south in Victoria have failed to flower this year and as a result many honeyeaters are dispersing far and wide for resources such as here where they have never been seen before. Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo, White-winged Triller and Rufous Songlark were also some overwintering birds noted. Diamond Firetail, Painted Button-quail and over 30 Flame Robins were some other nice birds seen. Michael Ramsey - Bronzewing Birding Services
	Chestnut Teal Small Wetland, Western Side of Moree, NSW A pair of Chestnut Teals were seen amongst a flock of Hardhead and Pacific Black Ducks. Flocks of Dusky Moorhen with immatures were seen. About 30+ Little Pied Cormorants, 1 Pied Cormorant and 2 Great Cormorants. Australasian Grebes, Spotted Pardalotes, Mistletoebirds and Striped Honeyeaters were heard. Curtis Hayne
Fri 1 Jun	Swift Parrot, Chestnut-rumped Heathwren Crown land west of Hebburn Rd, south of Abermain 9 Swift Parrots seen in a Grey Gum tree along a small power easement to the west of Hebburn Rd. No blossom in the immediate vicinity. There was also a Chestnut-rumped Heathwren that stood in the middle of track for a few seconds before scurrying off into a low shrub. 8 Stubble Quail in 4 separate sightings (5 in one group + 3 individuals) , Crested Shrike-tit, Gang-gangs and White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike. Mick Roderick
	Wandering Whistling Duck, Jacana Kings Rd Swamp, Wauchope The number of Wandering Whistling Ducks seen at this Swamp has risen again with 89 birds counted on a wet day! Only one Jacana was seen, but there were plenty of Coots, Hardheads and Black Ducks. Alan Morris & Banie Penzhorn
	Powerful Owl Sea Acres Nature Reserve, Port Macquarie Friend Banie Penzhorn, Anne and I decided to go on a walk on the tree top bird walk at Sea Acres NR and when we arrived we met Sue and Peter West who had been out looking for the pair of Powerful Owls, one clasping a Ring-tailed Possum, reported to be roosting close to the Boardwalk on 31/5/12. Alas they had no success but we did see one Powerful Owl, near Post 89, with the same or new Ring-tailed Possum. which was about 100 me from where the Owls had been seen previously!. other birds included Large-billed Scrub-wrens, Grey Fantail, Brown Gerygone etc. Banie Penzhorn, Alan & Anne Morris
	Regent Honeyeaters, Brown Treecreeper South of Hebburn Rd, Kurri Kurri, Hunter Valley 4-5 Regent Honeyeaters present in Spotted Gum-Ironbark Woodland, where there is Spotted Gum blossom. Plenty of Little Lorikeets and other Honeyeater sp. Also a single Brown Treecreeper which are becoming rarer in the lower Hunter Valley. This is now the 4th seperate location we have had Regents in the Cessnock/Kurri Kurri area. Steve and Mick Roderick
	Powerful Owl Two Creeks Track, East Lindfield, Sydney At 5 pm I was watching 3 Fan-tailed Cuckoos when I heard a single owl call faintly from the nearby creek gully beside the track, well before dark. More calls came at 5:15 when light was fading and imitations drew a male and then a female in close for few minutes, before they flew off downstream, satisfied there was no threat. The female gave a soft scratchy call of short duration a few times. I've not heard this before and it is not described in HANZAB. This location is maybe 300 m downstream from last year's nest of presumably the same pair. The presence of the female indicates that eggs have not yet been laid, but they would be expected within 3 weeks. David James
Thu 31 May	Black-winged Stilt southern end of Lake George near Bungendore There are about 20 Stilts feeding in shallow water at the southern end of the lake Wayne Gregson
	Red-winged Parrot, Rock Warbler Property along Krui River, WSW of Merriwa Red-winged Parrot seen overhead on a private property along the Krui River, north of Goulburn River NP. Rock Warblers also at the site. Both species at the extremes of their ranges and I don't imagine there would be too many places where they would overlap. Mick Roderick
Wed 30 May	Shining Bronze-cuckoo Near Springwood At the bottom of Saint Helena Crater, a weed-infested hollow below the Saint Helena Ridge, south of Springwood. Unusual for this season??? (Moderator's Note: It is not unusual for this time of the year! The host species for Shining Bronze-Cuckoo like Fairy-wrens and Thornbills commence their breeding activities once the daylights start to lengthen again, ie in 3 weeks time, so that they too have to be ready to lay their eggs to co-incide with the egg laying of their hosts. Therefore Horsfield's and Shining Bronze-cuckoos will be active from now on. AKM) Ted Nixon
	Gang Gang Cockatoo Fairlight Road, Mulgoa Regular sighting of a small flock of five Gang Gang Cockatoos feeding on the seeds of liquid amber. Reliable winter visitors. Peter Harvey
	Satin Flycatcher East Jindabyne This is very late in the season for this species this far south. Seen well in binoculars and call confirmed by playing from Morcombe app. while the bird was calling. Roger Giller
	Square-tailed Kite Oakhurst, western suburbs My wife told me 'that bird' was back again and everything was attacking it (first Magpie-larks, next magpies and finally Masked Lapwings). As I grabbed my camera, the Square-tailed Kite flew past the window, it seems to favour hunting low and fast over suburban gardens. Mark and Lisa Fuller
Tue 29 May	Pacific Baza Doonside near Nurragingy NR, NSW My friend called me that very strange yellow-eyed crested pigeons are sitting on his washing line. They turned to be Pacific Baza. Two were sitting on the washing line and 10 more were perching on a nearby dead tree basking in the sun. After 15 minutes they flew away (north direction). I've never seen such big group of Bazas. Are they migrating north for winter? (Moderator's Comment: Certainly 2 or 3 family groups seem to band together in autumn, but as they are present all year year on the Central Coast, i don't think that they migrate but HANZAB gives details of altitudinal migration and winter concentrations. One flock of 12 on the Central Coast noted one autumn. AKM), Ted Wnorowski
	Superb Lyrebird Bundanoon (Morton National Park) At least 7 birds were heard calling in gullies and on escarpments about Bonnie View, Bundanoon between 5-6pm. Also heard: 2 Pilotbirds and 2 Crescent Honeyeaters. At home (nearby to Morton NP), early this morning, there were 7 Rainbow Lorikeets (the most I've had in Bundanoon; RLs are uncommon in the Southern Highlands). Lorne Johnson
	Regent Honeyeater, Black-chinned Honeyeater Kearsley Firetrail, Werakata NP, Kitchener 12+ Regent Honeyeaters seen during a 40 minute visit in an area between the gate and 160 km along the main firetrail. Many Noisy Friarbirds, Noisy Miners, Yellow-faced, White-naped & Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters, 4 Black-chinned Honeyeaters, many Little Lorikeets, Golden Whistlers and Spotted Pardalotes. Spotted Quail-thrush seen and Gang gangs heard by other observers prior to our visit! Alan Morris & Michael Scobie
	Regent Honeyeater, swift Parrot, Glossy Black Cockatoo, Gang gang Private Property, Swans Lane, Quorrobolong This property is annually visited by members of the Central Coast Group, Birding NSW and this was the pre-visit reccie. Regent Honeyeaters were heard as soon as we exited the car, with 14 seen, feeding in flowering Spotted Gum and gleaning insects from other trees and shrubs throughout our 2 hour stay. One flock of 8 Swift Parrots, 2 Glossy Black Cockatoos, 6 Fuscous Honeyeater, many Yellow-faced, White-naped and Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters, 100+ Little Lorikeets, Jacky Winters, Yellow Robins etc. Two Gang Gangs and a Brown Treecreeper were heard calling but were not seen. Alan Morris & Michael Scobie
	Grey Goshawk Camden 10' Cell Grey Goshawk (1) white morph seen about 1 kiometere south of the Morton Road over-bridge on th Hume highway. Anthony & Vicki Katon
	Grey Goshawk Rydalmere, South Street Observed grey phase adult bird flying across Victoria Rd and my work site towards the Parramatta River. It's the first time I've seen this species in the area. I normally see Brown Goshawks on occasion. Ákos Lumnitzer
Mon 28 May	Grey Goshawk Central Coast Wetlands, Greenfleet paddock A single Grey Goshawk was seen along Tuggerah Ck, Greenfleet Section, Central Coast Wetlands (previously known as Tuggerah Pioneer Dairy Wetlands). Alan Morris
	Rockwarbler Pearl Beach (cliff walk from Umina) 2 birds seen at 7.30am. Seen regularly at this location. Charles Hunter
Sun 27 May	Wandering Whistling Duck King Creek Swamp, Wauchope 37 Wandering Whistling Ducks counted as well as 10 Hardheads, 2 Black Swans and one Jacana. Clive Meadows & Louise Earnshaw
	Blue-billed Duck, Australasian Shoveler. Lithgow Sewage Treatment Plant Blue-billed Duck (1) 1 male seen, possibly more females among the many Grey Teal. Also about 10 Shoveler, one Pink-eared Duck. Mark Ley
	Swift Parrot, Regent Honeyeater Werekata SCA, Pelton Rd (SW of Cessnock) Following the recent posts about good number of swifties and RH in the Cessnock area so I also visited the site. I spent nearly 8 hrs on Pelton Rd (road between Kitchener and Pelton). Terrible place to visit (dumping site for the whole area) but spotted gum are still flowering and birds were feeding on them. I found 4 small flocks of Swift Parrots (4 - 20 birds each) but it took me nearly a whole day to get a pair of Regent Honeyeater. There were many of other interesting bird species including: Yellow-tufted Honeyeater (plenty), Scalet Honeyeater (at least 20), Black-chinned Honeyeater (4 birds), Flame Robin (1), Scarlet Robin (3 males), Nankeen Night-Heron (1 juv skulkinng at the edge of small storm water pond). There was also enormous number of Grey Fantail feeding on small insects flying over flowering spotted gum trees (over one of this tree there was a "live umbrella" made of fantails). Ted Wnorowski
	Barking Owl Pearl Beach, Central Coast Heard calling on and off between 7.30pm and 10.30pm. Charles Hunter
Sat 26 May	Red Goshawk Kyogle, NSW Single bird flying low over houses being harassed by Noisy Miners and Blue-faced Honeyeater's. One street east of location regularly reported in the 60's by John Hobbs. (Moderator's note: Red Goshawks are on the Review List for the NSW Records Appraisal Committee. A Submission is requirded befofre the record is confirmed. There have been no confirmed records for NSW for at least 20 years! AKM) Neville Schrader
Mon 21 May	Barn Owl Yallah Barn Owl Michael Crosland
Fri 18 May	Grey-tailed Tattler Wenonah Head 10' Cell 3 birds on mudflat at Urunga boardwalk along with P. Golden Plover anf Pied Oystercaters. Neville Schrader
Sat 12 May	Long-billed Corella Caroona 1km east. (1) perched on bridge. Neville Schrader
	Mallee Ringneck Spring Ridge SF near Spring Ridge. 4 observed in forest. Neville Schrader

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.

===============================

To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
send the message:
unsubscribe
(in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
to: 

http://birding-aus.org
===============================