Birdline New South Wales Weekly Update

Birdline New South Wales

Published sightings for the week ending 23 Jun 2013.

Sun 23 Jun	Brolga, Black Kite, Superb Parrot Bogandillon Swamp 20km SE of Condobolin Pair of Brolgas feeding amongst a mob of sheep in paddock beside the Condo - Burcher road. Have been there for about a week. Still about 200 Black Kites at the Condobolin tip and small flocks of Superb Parrots are being regularly seen around the district Warren Chad
	Common Diving Petrel Mistral Point, Maroubra No less than 15 Common Diving Petrels today, living up to their name, they outnumbered Fluttering Shearwaters by a factor of 7.5 !!! Over 200 Fairy Prions seen, only 30 or so Black-browed Albatross were noted, the only Albatross species seen today. A Giant Petrel (sp) was seen, two Kelp Gulls and about 5 White-fronted Terns, record shot of CDP attached. David Mitford
	Common Diving-Petrel, Fairy Prion, White-fronted Tern Mistral Point, Maroubra 1 Common Diving-Petrel viewed well through the scope and then compared with a group of 7 fluttering type shearwaters as they crossed paths. The bird was heading north. Fairy Prion (50 or so, a lot out far) in really close to the headland feeding - see photo. Two White-fronted Terns also seen. Inshore Bottlenose Dolphin pod of around 15 passed through at around 1pm. [Moderator's note (NH): With 7 sightings over the last three weeks, 6 of which over the last four days, we can call this a small influx of Common Diving-petrels!] Simon Gorta and Ted Nixon
	Common Diving-Petrel North Head, Sydney Common Diving-Petrel - 5 sightings, 3 maximum seen at one time (all sitting on the water in a group diving for food). Also 4 White-fronted Terns and many Fairy Prions, plus the usual Black-browed and Shy Albatross with many gannets. Joshua Bergmark
	Scarlet Honeyeater, Diamond Dove, Superb Parrot Tycannah Creek, Terry Hie Hie We observed a male Scarlet Honeyeater today. Also seen were 5 Diamond Doves. We had great views of 40+ Superb Parrots seen at Tycannah Creek, north of the village. Some were checking out nest holes. Musk and Little Lorikeets and Buff-rumped Thornbills were also still present. Curtis Hayne and Michael Dahlem
Sat 22 Jun	Fairy Prion Richmond River, North Wall, Ballina Fairy Prion (500). Steady northward movement at an average rate of 6-8/min (up to 30/min) observed for 80 min in the afternoon. Some birds quite close in. Hans Wohlmuth
Sat 22 Jun	Common Diving-petrel Soldiers Point, Norah Head A single Common Diving-petrel seen very close to the rocks at Soldiers Point at 11am. Plenty of Fairy Prions also close in and four Black-browed Albatross further out. Two White-fronted Terns flew over the beach. Nick Carson
	Blue Petrel (NSW ORAC submission required), Common Diving-petrel Wollongong Pelagic A Blue Petrel was sighted, the 1st one from Wollongong since 1999. It hung around for 1/2 hour, coming within metres of the boat. Other sightings included at least 9 Common Diving-petrels and over 10 Buller's Albatross (7 at the one time is the most we saw). Otherwise it was the usual winter subjects, in good numbers for the most part. It was a good trip, although we only saw 1 Wandering Albatross, 1 Great-winged and 1 Providence Petrel. There were no Cape Petrels, which is unusual for June trips. A full report shall be posted soon on the SOSSA website. Photos of the Blue Petrel can be found on the SOSSA website at Brook Whylie for SOSSA
	White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrikes Near Whittaker's Lagoon, Moree 2 White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrikes were observed in woodlands along the Mehi River. Curtis Hayne, Ainslee Lines, Alan Morris & Deryk Engel
	Eastern Ospreys, Little Eagle, Tawny Grassbird Moree Common Spotted another pair of Eastern Ospreys flying over (1 adult and 1 immature) which were also seen in March. 1 Little Eagle was also seen being hassled by Torresian Crows and Australian Ravens. My first proper sighting of this species. Although, I never report Tawny Grassbirds because they are a common species in the region, They have made permanent home here since October 2012 and are found in tens. Curtis Hayne, Ainslee Lines, Alan Morris & Deryk Engel
	Hooded Plover Bendalong 6 Hooded Plovers foraging on the beach between Bendalong and Cudmirrah. Also, Sooty and Pied Oystercatchers nearby. Dejan Stojanovic
	Superb Parrot Eulah Creek, 20 km east of Narrabri 2390 A small flock of 12 Superb Parrots landed in a Black Pine on our property this morning. First, at distance, mistaken for Budgies, they were later heard calling while flying over the house. Then, at close range, properly identified as Superb Parrots (photo). Michael Dahlem
Fri 21 Jun	Little Eagle, light phase Western Sydney parklands, Horsley Park Seen over rural property west of the M7, this habitat, combined with the Western Sydney Parklands to the east, forms an important north-south corridor for this species. Mark Fuller
	Freckled Duck, Pink-eared Duck Berrima Road Wetlands, Moss Vale A brief visit to Moss Vale allowed for some birdwatching. Six Freckled Duck, a pair of Pink-eared Duck, a pair of Australasian Shovelers and a Musk Duck at the Berrima Road Wetlands. Over at Cecil Hoskins NR, eight Australasian Shovelers, a White-necked Heron and a Whistling Kite; and a Little Eagle seen further south of the town. Robert Griffin
	Black Falcon 40km North West of Moree, NSW We first identified a single Black Falcon soaring high above fallow fields. Photo by Michael. Curtis Hayne, Michael Dahlem, Alan Morris & Deryk Engel
	White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrikes Gil Gil Creek, Weemelah We observed 3 White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrikes in River Red Gums at Gil Gil Creek about a kilometre south of Weemelah village. Also seen was Brown Treecreeper. Curtis Hayne, Michael Dahlem, Alan Morris & Deryk Engel
	Superb Parrots 40km North West of Moree, NSW We observed 60+ Superb Parrots, mixed in with hundreds of Cockatiels, in an area where 2 weeks ago, only 4 birds were seen. They were found in open boxtree woodland with grassy undergrowth along a dirt road and in grazed cattle paddocks. Tens of Gull-billed Terns and 300+ Great and Pied Cormorants were seen flying over in flocks of about 30. Curtis Hayne and Michael Dahlem
	Tawny Grassbird Gwydir Wetlands, 60 km north-west of Moree 2400 A Tawny Grassbird was found in reeds and tall grass in an ephemeral roadside wetland that is part of the general area called "Gwydir Wetlands". Although not reported yet, Tawny Grassbirds are known to have become quite common in the area in recent times. The photo shows a lateral view; other postures have also been recorded, making the ID secure. Michael Dahlem, Curtis Hayne, Deryk Engel, Alan Morris
	Buller's Albatross Mistral Point, Maroubra Excellent views of a close-in Buller's Albatross this afternoon in great light. Fiona Brook and Ray Gobbe
Thu 20 Jun	Black Falcon Bingara 1 Black Falcon Greg Roberts
	Turquoise Parrot Kwiambal National Park 2 parties - one of 5, one of 3 Greg Roberts
	Campbell Albatross, Giant Petrel Mistral Point, Maroubra One adult Campbell Albatross (poor photo attached), one unidentified Giant Petrel (dark bird), common Shy and abundant Black-browed Albatross, groups of Fluttering Shearwaters (4-20 per group) and Fairy Prions. Kelp Gulls, Australasian Gannets, 2-3 White-fronted Terns. Bas Hensen and Ray Gobbe
	Common Diving-Petrel Fort Drive, Newcastle Spent the morning sea watching from Fort Drive. Many Fairy Prion, Fluttering Shearwater and Black-browed Albatross seen close to land. 1-2 Shy Albatross also seen. Highlight was seeing 4-5 Common Diving-petrel flying just beyond the breaking waters. Wonderful views. Later confirmed by Mick Roderick, Allan Richardson and Dan Williams. Grant Brosie
Wed 19 Jun	Spotted Harrier North Orange single Spotted Harrier hawking besides road. Neville Schrader
	Black Kite Clergate flock of 70+ Black Kites, a different flock to that reported at Orange. Neville Schrader
	Rose Robin South Mullion Creek Reserve Rose Robin (2), male and female Neville Schrader (1702)
	Common Diving-petrel, Pacific Gull, Great-winged Petrel north head manly Still some great sea birds this afternoon with 3 Common Diving-petrels being the highlight. Also 1 juvenile Pacific Gull and 3 Great-winged Petrels. michael ronan
	Black Kite North Street, Kempsey Finally caught up with some Black Kites on the North Coast with three birds harassing a White-breasted Sea-Eagle near the STP. Tim Morris
	Spotted Harrier Lower Pappinbarra One seen low over fields and trees along the river. One was seen here a week ago. Very unusual to see them here. Ian Kerr
	Spotted Harrier Oakhurst, Western Sydney Young Australian Ravens were more agitated than usual, swooping around the rooftops. A Spotted Harrier was the cause. My fifth local sighting this year. Mark Fuller
	mutant/hybrid (?) Northern Mallards, Caspian Tern, Striated Heron Prince Edward Park, Woronora Walking the dogs by Woronora River. Largest list for the spot. One Striated Heron, one Caspian Tern. There are a lot of dodgy looking mallard types on the river. They range from a male very close to 100% mallard plumage, to all sorts of variations in colours and shapes. Not sure of interbreeding with Pacific Black Ducks as the Mallard types and Black Ducks tend to stick to their own. They intermingle, as do all the ducks at a feed. [Moderator's note (NH): It is highly likely that the mallard-type ducks interbreed with the Pacific Black Ducks - as they do in many other places. Having said that, there was a study on the Northern Mallard population at the Rhine River in Germany showing that close to 100% of the wild-type looking mallards were mutants!] Paul Freeman (2404)
Tue 18 Jun	Black Falcon Swan Creek, cnr of Four Mile Lane & Finlayson's Rd (via Grafton NSW) Single adult Black Falcon roosting in Black-necked Stork's nest late afternoon. Good views in various postures through scope. Darryl and Gary Eggins
	Spotted Harrier Wauchope Near the Rocks Ferry Bridge at 11 am. Two were seen cruising one metre above the lantana "hedge" along the fence line just south of the bridge. Ian Kerr
	Noisy Pitta Lower Pappinbarra Heard calling twice 20 minutes after sunset as they do here when present. Ian Kerr
	Striped Honeyeater, Inland Thornbill The Rock Nature Reserve Single Striped Honeyeater seen in Black Cypress Pine woodland on south side of the reserve. No previous records at this reserve, and represents south-eastly extreme record for this species. Also Inland Thornbill, again south-east extreme for sp. Tim Dolby
	Crested Shrike-tit Ourimbah (Ourimbah Ck Rd) Pair of Crested Shrike-tits a nice find, along with pair of Spotted Pardalotes, pair of Red-whiskered Bulbuls, Buff-banded Rail and the resident 'tame' Superb Lyrebird during morning walk. Group of cheery Yellow Thornbills a pleasure to watch. John Weigel
Mon 17 Jun	Sooty Owl, Powerful Owl Lake Innes NR, Point Trail Walked to site arriving just prior to dark. Found 1 Powerful Owl on horizontal branch just after dark. Had great views of a Sooty Owl at 7pm on side of road when it came in to investigate our Sugar Glider call. It proceeded to squeal for 15 minutes or more giving us extended views. Matt Hinze, Tony Bischoff, Ethan Marshall
	Buller's Albatross north head manly Masses of seabirds off North Head this afternoon. Mainly Fairy Prions, Fluttering Shearwaters and albatross. I reckon there must have been close to 200 Shy Albatross the most I have seen off north head and 1 close in Buller's Albatross. michael ronan
	Buff-rumped Thornbill, Varied Sittella, Scarlet Robin Worrigee Nature Reserve, South Nowra Walked from Browns Road through the forest east then south to the old Quarry. Overcast cool conditions. Large mixed flocks of Thornbills including Buff-rumped Thornbill. Varied Sittella (4) Small group feeding in a large eucalypt. Scarlet Robin (2) 1 male and 1 female observed in feeding party of thornbills Duade Paton
Sun 16 Jun	White-bellied Sea-eagle North Head Sydney Harbour One White-bellied Sea-eagle circling over North Head. Swooping down. Ida Rohne
	Red-necked Avocet Lake Illawarra, Hooka Point Park Three Red-necked Avocets sighted by David and Elizabeth Winterbottom who do regular surveys of this area. Birds still present, visible from Fred Finch Park by Mullett Creek. A rare bird in the Illawarra. Martin Cocker-Illawarra Birders
	Budgerigars Molong - 2 km west on private property 37+ Budgerigars feeding in grassy paddock and roosting in trees on edge of scrubby hillside. Jacky Winters, Scarlet Robin, Dusky Woodswallows and 20+ Yellow-rumped Thornbills also feeding in paddock. Rosemary Stapleton & members of Orange Field Naturalists and Conservation Society
	Australian Shelduck Four Mile Lane, Swan Creek One Shelduck observed at wetland. Single bird seen in the area many months before. Maureen O'Shea per Greg Clancy
	Pied Oystercatcher Racecourse Beach, Bawley Point A single bird. The first Pied Oystercatcher I have seen in this area in 15 years of visiting. Sooty Oystercatchers are always there in small numbers. This weekend there were 3. Wayne Gregson
Sat 15 Jun	Powerful Owl Lane Cove National Park About 20 m downstream from Picnic area known as "No. 10: Echidna" a Powerful Owl on the ground tucked against an overhanging rock under a leafy bush (sorry, I'm no botanist!) presumably seeking protection from harassment by 6+ Noisy Miners and 4 Pied Currawongs. There was no prey that I could see , I was about 10 m away. Bob Ashford
	Pacific Gull, Lewin's Rail, Spotted Harrier Broughton Island I had a report from Craig Anderson who is currently on Broughton Island (north of Port Stephens) that an adult Pacific Gull has been present. The resident(?) Lewin's Rails have been calling near the huts and a Spotted Harrier has been seen on the island (one was seen earlier in the year during surveys conducted by Hunter BOC). He also reports 6 Fairy Prions and a single Great-winged Petrel seen off the rocks in recent days. Craig Anderson per Mick Roderick
	Black-tailed Native-hen Fullers Road, Swan Creek One Native Hen crossed road and disappeared into undergrowth. Russell Jago per Greg Clancy
	Great Crested Grebe Lake Keepit - Sport & Recreation Centre A single Great Crested Grebe was sighted at Lake Keepit near the Sport & Recreation side of the Lake. Roselyn Druce
Sun 2 Jun	Peregrine Falcon Cliffs near Watson's Bay (ocean side), Sydney One male Peregine Falcon sitting on an overhang watching us for some time. When we moved it took off and circled above and then disappeared behind another overhang where it was not possible to see it. It later flew over the ocean and did a swoop down, but it didn't look like it caught anything. (Moderator's Note: Peregrines nest on the cliffs between the Macquarie Light-house and The Gap and have done so for many years AKM) Ida Rohne
Thu 30 May	Pacific Baza Coolbaggie, NSW Three Pacific Bazas sighted on property, viewed for around thirty minutes. Some hunting behaviour in eucalypt canopy. Seemed to be heading northwards, but by short distance flight from tree to tree along roadside vegetation. Andrew Bishop

Birdline New South Wales is sponsored by Birding NSW, Birds Australia - Southern NSW & ACT and Cumberland Bird Observers Club and hosted by Eremaea Birds.

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