birding-aus

Birdline New South Wales Weekly Update

To:
Subject: Birdline New South Wales Weekly Update
From:
Date: 18 Mar 2013 01:31:03 +1000

Birdline New South Wales

Published sightings for the week ending 17 Mar 2013.

Sun 17 Mar Spotted Harrier(s), Glossy Ibis, Little Egrets Castlereagh
Had an absolutely fabulous photography session out at Castlereagh with one Spotted Harrier adult seen at first light near Smith Rd and another photographed quartering/hunting at incredibly close quarters. A flock of nine (9) Glossy Ibis landed in the large swampy paddock at Princes Farm in Smith Road and two Little Egrets and many other Ardeids were observed in area as well as at least one Whistling Kite. A fantastic morning. In the evening, I also found the female Australian Hobby in the area I saw her and her juvenile three times during the week. See more information for lots of photos. :-)
Ákos Lumnitzer, Mickey Mackwan, Peter Phelan

Fork-tailed Swift Port Macquarie
At Short Street Port Macquarie approx 20 Fork-tailed Swifts arrived and left within two minutes.This is a new bird for me
Tony & Stephanie dawe

Freckled Duck West Byron Sewage Treatment Plant
Freckled Duck (1) Excellent views from bird hide. With Hardheads and Coots. Female or non-breeding male. Byron Bird Buddies 2020 shorebird survey.
Hans Wohlmuth

Sat 16 Mar Pacific Golden-Plover Hen and Chicken Bay, Paramatta River
Seen along shore near Glen Ormond Ave Wareemba Pacific Golden-Plover
Bernard Linklater

Hoary-headed Grebe Hen and Chicken Bay, Paramatta River
Seen along shore line parallel with Wymston Parade, Wareemba Hoary-headed Grebe
Bernard Linklater

Apostlebirds Ebenezer Wharf Road, Ebenezer
4 + Apostlebirds feeding roadside,
Judith & Neil RUSSILL

Gang-gang Cockatoo, Speckled Warbler and Scarlet Robin Wambool Nature Reserve, east of Bathurst
Stopped off for a short walk on the way home from the Blue Mountains and heard Gang-gangs munching on Bundy Box fruit on the Northern Boundary Track. Spotted an adult female and male plus two immature males. Further on, just off the Yetholme Trig Track, a pair of Speckled Warblers and a young male Scarlet Robin hanging out with Buff-rumped, Brown and Striated Thornbills, Grey Fantails, White-throated Treecreeper, Yellow-faced Honeyeater and Grey Shrike-thrush.
Tiffany Mason

Spangled Drongo, Crested Shrike-tit, Royal Spoonbill Western Sydney Parklands, Quakers Hill
A camera shy Spangled Drongo feeding on cicadas was the highlight of a short walk over the parklands this morning. Pretty quiet this time of year, a few residents with late Australian Koels still calling.
Mark Fuller

Great Crested Grebe Bundanoon township
A single Great Crested Grebe in non-breeding plumage was a most unexpected sighting on a farm dam by Blue Gum Rd late this afternoon. GCGs are few and far between in the Southern Highlands. I was surprised it was on such a small body area of water - I've only seen them on the expansive waters of Fitzroy Falls and Wingecarribee Reservoirs in the Highlands. Another new species for my town list, which now stands at 151.
Lorne Johnson

Black-shouldered Kite Dee Why
Single bird seen sitting atop the dead pine tree in the car park behind the surf club. Black-shouldered Kite
Mark.Young

Budgerigar, Turquoise Parrot 10 km south-east of Maules Creek 2382
While watching a single male Turquoise Parrot (photo) almost exactly 10 km south-east of Maules Creek, on the old road to Barraba, a small group of 7 Budgerigars passed overhead. No photo, but the Budgies identified by two people independent of each other (we also heard them calling in flight). This is the farthest east I have ever seen Budgerigars (this location is about 10 km farther east than the recent sighting in Leard State Forest, well into the foothills of the Great Dividing Range). The location is in cattle and horse farming country, with lots of grasses seeding at the moment. Note to those who are tempted to check this out: The old Maules Creek to Barraba road is not charted on maps and should be used only with a local guide and a 4WD vehicle.
Michael Dahlem

Eastern Yellow Robin Near Whittaker's Lagoon, Moree
Quite a quiet day today when it comes to birdwatching. An Eastern Yellow Robin was seen along the Mehi River. The first Brown Treecreeper seen in the area for a long time was also present. Tawny Grassbirds and Golden-headed Cisticolas which have been calling everywhere in the past half year are ever more present.
Curtis Hayne

Channel-billed Cuckoo 147 Levenstrath red Levenstrath nr Grafton
One Channel-billed Cuckoo flying north-east, 1 pm.
Warren Thompson

Spangled Drongo and Dollarbird Turella Weir on Wolli Creek at Turella Reserve, Turella/Earlwood
Spotted together in a tree above the fish ladder on Wolli Creek. A fabulous climax to the morning's bird survey which also included a Brown Goshawk and a Rufous Fantail.
Melissa Mason, Fiona Vaughan

Glossy Black-Cockatoo (6) Mcmahons Rd North Nowra, Judith Drive North Nowra
12 months ago there were 7-9 in the group that regularly fed in a couple of trees in our suburb. One tree (Allocasuarina spec.) is at the back gate of North Nowra primary school. Then one day we saw in the distance, from our veranda, a flock of white cockatoos attack them. We have seen only 3 come back, over the last 12 months. Today there were again 6.
jeannie horne

Fri 15 Mar Turquoise Parrot (20+) Wattle Dam, Binya SF, Griffith
A much cooler early morning (10 degrees) visit to Wattle Dam resulted in a larger than normal over the summer flock of Turquoise Parrots. 20 birds landed in a tree near the dam but only 10 came down to drink. Other birds present at 8am, were Mulga Parrot, Mallee Ringneck and a mixture of Common Bronzewing, Bar-shouldered and Peaceful Doves as well as the usual Striped, Spiny-cheeked and White-plumed H/e with just one Yellow-plumed. A pair of Double-barred Finch also came down to drink but no Diamond Firetails.
Max O'Sullivan

Square-tailed Kite Nowra Township near Hwy
Sue and I observed a single Square-tailed Kite circling around Maccas at Nowra near the round-about. Very strange from normal behaviour - have seen this bird on a number of occasions in three States, but never around a township? (Moderator's Note (AKM): They certainly seem to hang around the outer suburbs of Sydney, Newcastle and the Central Coast. Ann Millard reports a Square-tailed Kite regularly seen around North Nowra & Bomaderry for 4-5 years.)
John & Sue O'Malley

Yellow-tufted Honeyeater Road to Lower Portland from Kurrajong
At least 20 Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters moving through scrub and canopy feeding on gum or grevillea flowers. Chasing off other honeyeaters species as they were feeding.
James Fong

Chestnut-breasted Mannikin, Magpie Goose Narrabri Lake, Narrabri 2390
The Chestnut-breasted Mannikins reported last Friday (report #169115) are building a nest. Attached a photo showing a bird collecting nesting material (these reeds are flowering, not seeding yet). The local Magpie Geese are also still around. They stayed in hiding today, but were heard calling continuously.
Michael Dahlem

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus) Red Point Port Kembla
17 birds in total feeding in Trees in Marne street Port Kembla
Graeme Cox

Eastern Osprey Lane Cove National Park (Fairyland)
I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw 3 ospreys flying over Lane Cove River. Has to be the same family that I reported recently. Hopefully they will stay around.
Fatih Sam

Thu 14 Mar Spangled Drongo Five Islands Road Exit, off the F6
Spangled Drongo (1) Solo Drongo was seen hawking from power lines and trees on the 5 Islands road exit.
Tom Madigan & Charlie Lawson

Thu 14 Mar Black-necked Stork, Plumed Whistling-Duck Dairy Swamp, Central Coast Wetlands, Tuggerah (restricted Access)
A surprise for all the people working at the Central Coast Wetlands today was an immature Black-necked Stork in addition to all the other good waterbirds present on this wetland. Also additional to the previous day was 4+ Plumed Whistling-Duck. The stork was still present on Friday. (It is hoped that the Central Coast Wetlands will be open to the public from mid April).
Adrian Gale (photo), Vicki Barnes and Alan Morris

Black-tailed Godwits Stockton Sandpit, Newcastle
Photo shows 62 Black-tailed Godwits in flight, approx. 100 birds Black-tailed Godwits present,. Various stage of breeding plumage.
Michael Rutkowski and Bob Sinclair

Terek Sandpiper Stockton Sandpit, Newcastle
Single bird darting around shorefront on receding tide.
Michael Rutkowski, Bob Sinclair

Wed 13 Mar Spotted Harrier, Glossy Ibis Dairy Swamp, Central Coast Wetlands, Tuggerah (limited access)
A spectacular day on Wednesday between 1-2 pm, when many waterbirds congregated on the spit on the swamp to roost, inlcuding 198 Straw-necked ibis, 32 White Ibis, 22 Cattle Egrets, a group of 7 White-necked Herons, many White-faced Herons and 2 Great Egrets, 32 Masked Lapwings, at least one Glossy Ibis, Wood Ducks, Grey Teal and a Musk Duck and Little Grebes, 14 pelicans, 12 Great Cormornats and 22 Little Black Cormorants and a few Darter.. Two Whistling Kites harassed the Black-winged Stilts and Masked Lapwings, An adult Sea-Eagle made several swoops over the spit putting up all the Ibis and Herons, and then a Spotted Harrier, slowly coursed its way over the paddocks and then over the wetland, putting up many birds.
Alan Morris

Beautiful Firetail Kings Tableland Air tower
Several birds seen batheing and drinking on the side of the road.
Michael Rutkowski

Osprey Burns Bay Reserve, Riverview
I have seen individuals, even one with a big fish caught from Burns Bay last year but 3 of them together was a big highlight for my humble backyard list this morning. They flew high, towards Lane Cove and disappeared.
Fatih Sam

Turquoise Parrot Knapsack Reserve Glenbrook
I got indifferent views of a single bird in dry sclerophyll woodland, initially perched, then fluttering back and forth to two other perches, before alighting briefly on the ground, flushing and flying out of sight. Definitely a female, either adult or juvenile, as no sign of a red shoulder bar. Maybe an escapee, but it did not appear to be tame. A rare bird in the Blue Mountains.
Colin Scouler

Common Noddy Newcastle Ocean Baths
One bird seen roosting on the rock platform behind the baths.
Grant Brosie

Little Raven Hume Highway (between Medway and Berrima)
37 Little Ravens by the Hume Highway this morning at 7am. A staggering number. I've never seen this many of LRs together before (they usually fly in 3s or 4s). Not sure of why they were massing; they were on a hill struck with the day's first light: this may have something to do with it.
Lorne Johnson

Tue 12 Mar Budgerigar Mosquito Creek Road, Warialda
Small group of Budgerigars at a roadside puddle. Spiny-cheeked, White-plumed, Brown-headed Honeyeaters at same location.
Marj Kibby

Pink-eared Duck, Australian Hobby, Black-shouldered Kites Penrith Lakes / Castlereagh
Adult Pink-eared Duck on rowing lake this evening inside the regatta center. I travelled along Castlereagh Road and noted at least five Black-shouldered Kites. Two were engaged in hyper activity, talon grappling and mutual display flights. One of them flew towards me and began to hover about 15 meters above the ground, around 25 meters away. It then caught a mouse right before my eyes! Incredible. A few minutes later I found an adult Australian Hobby sitting in a lookout tree used by the grappling Black-shouldered Kites. I also found her juvenile offspring nearby. See further information for lots of photos of action.
Ákos Lumnitzer

Southern Boobook Oakhurst
On Sunday Pied Currawongs and Grey Butcherbirds drew my attention to a large raptor, today it was Noisy Miners and Magpie-larks carrying on. As I walked towards the casuarinas, I found a Southern Boobook roosting in a nearby jacaranda. It pays to check out interesting kerfuffles.
Mark Fuller

Mon 11 Mar Hooded Plover Racecourse Beach, Ulladulla
Eight Hooded Plovers, including two juvs were seen feeding on the rock shelf part of Racecourse beach this afternoon. This section, with its ease of parking and access to the flat rock shelf, is north of the car park and where you can regularly spot Hooded Plovers during the winter months along with both species of Oystercatchers and Double-banded Plovers.
Bob Rusk

Sun 10 Mar Barred Cuckoo-shrike. Lewin's Rail Theresa Creek 24 k's w of Casino
2 Barred Cuckoo-shrikes feeding in Small-leaved Fig. One beautifully marked adult and one juvenile Lewin's Rail (one or two) heard calling a number of times during 20 minutes in a cow paddock with thickly vegetated gully and very long grass. Call heard was the diagnostic "metallic striking of two coins" Weather overcast and light showers. Private Property
June Harris

Channel-billed Cuckoo Bronte (Chesterfield Parade)
Bird seen (and was also calling) at 8am in the fig trees in Chesterfield Parade.
Charles Hunter

Sat 9 Mar Black Noddy Newcastle baths near Nobby's Head
During a 2 hour sea watch from the Newcastle baths near Nobby's Head the highlight for me was a brief sighting and fairly close in Black Noddy (see attached ID shot). On the rocks were also 30-40 Little and 30 Common Terns along with 4 Sooty Oystercatchers and a Ruddy Turnstone. A light morph Arctic Jaeger also took me by surprise with its sudden appearance as it hovered low over me and also having a go at the roosting terns which then took flight with the Arctic Jaeger going after one of the Crested Terns with its recent catch. I also saw from here a dark morph Arctic Jaeger very close to shore.
Edwin Vella

Powerful Owl Cappers Gully, East Gosford
ind. heard calling approximately 730pm.
Warren Brown

Thu 7 Mar Black Honeyeater 'Kooragindi', Koorawatha
(Follow-up from report of 15th Feb) Still a pair of Black Honeyeaters feeding in the decreasing supply of flowering box mistletoe.
John French & Fiona Lumsden

Birdline New South Wales is sponsored by Birding NSW, Birds Australia - Southern NSW & ACT and Cumberland Bird Observers Club 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
===============================
<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
Admin

The University of NSW School of Computer and Engineering takes no responsibility for the contents of this archive. It is purely a compilation of material sent by many people to the birding-aus mailing list. It has not been checked for accuracy nor its content verified in any way. If you wish to get material removed from the archive or have other queries about the archive e-mail Andrew Taylor at this address: andrewt@cse.unsw.EDU.AU