The following is a digest of Sightings Reported on Birdpedia for the period
Monday, February 4, 2013 to Sunday, February 10, 2013:
Area: SA
Date: Sunday, February 3, 2013
Location: Altona CSR Landcare Reserve
Square-tailed Kite (Lophoictinia isura) (1) Two of these rarities in two days!
This bird came in low over me early Sunday morning whilst I was photographing
some of the Rainbow Bee-eaters in the Reserve! This bird was moulting a couple
of primaries and outer tail feathers... so definitely a different bird to the
Cobbler creek one! But maybe the same bird as seen by Amanda Pearce near Hale
C.P.! Not that far as the Square-tail Kite flys!
Crested Shrike-tit (Falcunculus frontatus) (3) Two adults feeding a fledged
juvenile! Which was great to see!
Reported by: Chris Steeles on Monday, February 4, 2013
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Date: Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Location: Rush Lagoon/Kangaroo Island
White-winged Black Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus) (0) Please Note: My earlier
posting of White-winged Black Tern x 3 juveniles/immatures was incorrect. I
have just come home from Rush Lagoon after several hours of much closer
observation and I now realise I have made an error in identification. The three
young birds associated very closely with adult Whiskered Terns today and
allowed for an accurate comparison. I am now convinced they are immature
Whiskered Terns. I sincerely apologise for my earlier incorrect posting and
hope it is not too much trouble for managers of Birdpedia to delete the WWBTern
observation for Rush Lagoon, KI, posted earlier this morning. Kind Regards
Chris Baxter
Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida) (18) 15 adults and three immature birds
foraging over brackish shallows at Rush Lagoon.
Reported by: Chris Baxter on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
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Date: Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Location: Murrays Lagoon/Kangaroo Island
Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos) (1) feeding in warm muddy shallows with
abundant Ruppia plant growth on W shore of Murray's Lagoon.
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata) (360) Most were observed feeding in
muddy shallows along W shore of Murray's Lagoon; also NE corner where Timber
Creek enters lagoon. Other parts of lagoon not surveyed.
Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia) (2) W shore of Murray's Lagoon
Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis) (56) feeding along W shore of Murray's
Lagoon-muddy shallows with and without overstorey of dead paperbarks Melaleuca
halmaturorum.
Red-kneed Dotterel (Erythrogonys cinctus) (14) Scattered throughout muddy
shallows with and without dead paperbark cover, W shores of Murray's Lagoon.
Largest number seen on KI and appears to be increasing its population over
recent years.
Black-fronted Dotterel (Elseyornis melanops) (3) W shore of Murray's Lagoon
Banded Stilt (Cladorhynchus leucocephalus) (c2000) Most were observed feeding
in warm brackish shallows along W shore of Murray's Lagoon; also NE corner
where Timber Creek enters lagoon. Other parts of lagoon not surveyed.
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) (50) Most were observed feeding in
warm brackish shallows along W shore of Murray's Lagoon; also NE corner where
Timber Creek enters lagoon. Other parts of lagoon not surveyed.
Red-capped Plover (Charadrius ruficapillus) (30+) W shore of Murray's
Lagoon-feed muddy shore and further back in dry samphire Sarcocornia ground
cover
Grey Teal (Anas gracilis) (c5000) Feeding in shallows and camped on shore in
large flocks along W shore of Murray's Lagoon and on NE corner where Timber
Creek enters lagoon. Other parts of lagoon not surveyed.
Reported by: Chris Baxter on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
---------------------------------------------
Date: Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Location: Murray's Lagoon/Kangaroo Island
Freckled Duck (Stictonetta naevosa) (7) flushed from inundated paperbarks at NE
corner of Murray's Lagoon-part of Timber Creek estuary.
Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus) (c300) W shore of Murray's
Lagoon-feeding in warm brackish shallows and camped on shore-in association
with Teal spp.
Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea) (c500) W shore and NE corner (Timber Creek Delta)
of Murray's Lagoon. Feeding in shallows and camped on shore in impressive mixed
flocks with much more abundant Grey Teal. Other parts of lagoon not surveyed.
Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae) (33) camped on Timber Creek Delta
at NE corner of Murray's Lagoon.
Australian Shelduck (Tadorna tadornoides) (c1000) camped along W shore and on
Timber Creek Delta at NE corner of Murray'Lagoon. Other parts of Lagoon not
surveyed.
Australasian Shoveler (Anas rhynchotis) (20) W shore and NE corner of Murray's
Lagoon-intermixed with abundant Teal spp-surprisingly scarce as warm brackish
shallows appeared to be ideal habitat. Generally expect it to be more common.
Other parts of lagoon not surveyed.
Blue-billed Duck (Oxyura australis) (c300) Deeper water some distant from
shore, mostly out in middle of Murray's Lagoon. Difficult to get an accurate
count but certainly appeared to be in several hundred scattered across lagoon
in loose rafts with many hundreds of Eurasian Coots and scattered less numerous
Musk Duck.
Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) (c500) common throughout deeper water-swimming and
diving with Blue-billed Ducks over vast expanses of lagoon.
Australian Spotted Crake (Porzana fluminea) (3) flushed from dense new growth
of one metre high paperbarks inundated with shallows on central W shore of
Murray's Lagoon.
Hoary-headed Grebe (Poliocephalus poliocephalus) (c300+) mostly distant
observations as birds were swimming and diving amongst coots and stiff-tailed
ducks across vast expanses of deeper water of Murray's Lagoon. Hard to get an
accurate count-only viewed from W and NE shoreline.
Reported by: Chris Baxter on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
---------------------------------------------
Date: Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Location: Rush Lagoon/Kangaroo island
White-winged Black Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus) (3) First record for KI. Three
immature birds at Rush Lagoon-feeding on insects gleaned from surface of 30cm
deep warm bracrkish shallows with dense submerged growth of Ruppia. Open
shallow lagoon fast drying up-E half of lagoon dry. Small number of Whiskered
Terns here also-both species kept to themselves and displayed markedly
different foraging behaviour. WWBTerns were conspicuous by: black 'ear muff'
markings on ear coverts; short straight black bill, smutty brown upperwings
with whitish linear band along upperwing due to paler median and greater
coverts; square pale grey tail with white rump band joining with white
underparts. Flew low into SE wind picking insects from surface with dipping
flight; once reaching windward shore, allowed wind to blow them several hundred
metres back across lagoon to commence low flight into it over again. Swooped on
by br plumaged Whiskered Terns on several occasions. Whiskered Terns more gra
ceful, kept to themselves; flying into wind; often stopping to flutter
(hover)-hanging motionless into wind and diving down to procure prey from
height of about 2-3 m. First seen 29 Jan 13.
Banded Stilt (Cladorhynchus leucocephalus) (c8000) feeding across brackish
shallows of Rush Lagoon -wading about picking insects from surface or probing
deeper with head and neck submerged-almost upending like a dabbling duck. Warm
shallows choked with dense growth of Ruppia (widgeongrass).
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata) (c800) feeding in mud and shallows
of brackish Rush Lagoon. Ideal habitat for waders as lagoon has dried back to
half its original size-perhaps 20 ha left in W half of lagoon. This is
extaordinary concentration of this sp on KI in recent years as species has
appeared to decline markedly over past 10-20 years.
Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis) (c100) feeding in mud and shallows of
Rush Lagoon
Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida) (15) all fully br plumaged birds except one
which had no black colouring on belly. Feeding over warm brackish shallows of
Rush Lagoon.
White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) (1) immature-2nd year
bird-over Rush Lagoon, causing panic amongst 1,000s of waterfowl/waders below.
Swamp Harrier (Circus approximans) (3) one over Rush Lagoon, causing panic
amongst 1,000s of waterfowl/waders below.
two over Murray's Lagoon, causing panic amongst 1,000s of waterfowl/waders
below.
Australian Shelduck (Tadorna tadornoides) (c1000) camped on shores of Rush
Lagoon
Black-tailed Native-hen (Gallinula ventralis) (10) feeding out in open shallows
of Rush Lagoon with many hundreds of waterfowl and waders
Grey Teal (Anas gracilis) (c1000) spread across warm shallows choked with
widgeongrass Ruppia at Rush Lagoon. Ideal habitat for dabbling ducks.
Reported by: Chris Baxter on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
---------------------------------------------
Date: Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Location: Rush Lagoon/Kangaroo Island
White-winged Black Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus) (3) Initial posting of three
White-winged Black Terns at Rush Lagoon, KI on 5 February 2013 was correct
after all-ID now confirmed by Colin Rogers and others. Sorry to confuse the
issue with previous posting, then retraction!! Thanks Martyn and all for
helpful advice. Pleasing to add another new species to Kangaroo Island bird
list. First seen 29 February and still present 6 Feb.
Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida) (15) breeding plumaged adults at Rush
Lagoon, KI (29 Jan 2013 to present).
Glossy Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami) (2) a pair feeding in a
Drooping Sheoak Allocasuarina verticillata on our property 'Panorama Park', 20
km W of Kingscote, KI, 3 February 2013. First observation of this species at
our place since moving here and planting a 5 hectare paddock out with 100s of
Drooping Sheoaks and eucalypts 10 years ago. May they visit time and again in
the future. Very exciting.
Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus) (1) an adult female overhead at Flinders
Chase NP visitor centre, KI, 3 February 2013. Glided about overhead and then
landed in sugar gum nearby. Habitat here comprised tall Sugar Gum forest with
adjoining mallee and small clearing with pasture.
Bush Stone-curlew (Burhinus grallarius) (2) on our property 'Panorama Park', 20
km W of Kingscote, KI, 5 February 2013. Several day time observations of this
species at our place recently with birds 'hiding' during the day in grassy
woodland created by extensive planting of native trees in a 5 hectare paddock
10 years ago.
Rock Parrot (Neophema petrophila) (8) flushed from grassy track in coastal
shrubland behind beach, Cape Rouge, KI, 2 January 2013 (Cape Rouge is at N
extremity of Bay of Shoals)
Rock Parrot (Neophema petrophila) (15) in coastal heath (six years post-fire) N
of West Bay, Flinders Chase NP, KI, 22 January 2013 (per P. Masters)
Reported by: Chris Baxter on Thursday, February 7, 2013
---------------------------------------------
Date: Thursday, February 7, 2013
Location: near Goolwa Barrage
Grey Butcherbird (Cracticus torquatus) (1) Despite regular visits to record
wetland and wader species Grey Butcherbird not previously recorded at this
location.
Fairy Tern (Sterna nereis) (2)
A total of 39 sp. (mainly wetland and wader sp.) present on an ebbing tide at
this site in the early am.
Reported by: Terry Dennis on Thursday, February 7, 2013
---------------------------------------------
Date: Thursday, February 7, 2013
Location: Point Sturt
Latham's Snipe (Gallinago hardwickii) (2) Flushed from grassland adjacent to
the lagoon. Also of note was a gathering of at least 400 Terns sp.- mainly
Whiskered and Crested with a few Caspian.
Reported by: Nathaniel Doecke on Saturday, February 9, 2013
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