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Birdline New South Wales Weekly Update

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Subject: Birdline New South Wales Weekly Update
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Date: 2 Sep 2013 06:42:43 +1000

Birdline New South Wales

Published sightings for the week ending 1 Sep 2013.

Sun 1 Sep Spotted Quail Thrush, Grey Currawong, Flame Robin Newnes Plateau, Blue Mountains
Spent a couple of days exploring the Newnes Plateau between Lithgow and Wollemi National Park. Spotted Quail Thrush seen on about half a dozen occasions, usually on the roads. Grey Currawong was quite common as were Flame, Scarlet & Rose Robins. Plenty of honeyeaters about including Crescent, Brown-headed, White-naped and White-eared. Other species of note: Gang Gang Cockatoo, Pilotbird, Chestnut-rumped Heathwren, Crescent Honeyeater, Beautiful Firetail.
Marc Anderson

Little Eagle Yellow Rock
Near lookout this morning at around 10:45.
Ákos Lumnitzer

Channel-billed Cuckoo Lewisham
Not sure how many more reports of these guys will be published, but Day 1 of Spring heralded my first record of Channel-billed Cuckoo, heard at 6:30 this morning, since last summer. Lewisham is in Sydney's inner-west. [Moderators note: CBC have been recorded in Sydney for a week now and this coincides with usual arrival timing]
Ashwin Rudder

Common Greenfinch, Freckled Duck, Pied Cormorant Eastlakes Golf Course
The first day of spring, and another migrant returns. I heard, and then found, my first Common Greenfinches since early February. The lone Freckled Duck is in the same place as three days ago. A Pied Cormorant, my first record at Eastlakes, and a rare visitor, was fishing on the main lake.
Ashwin Rudder

Spotless Crake Pitt Town Lagoon
2 Spotless Crakes seen together. A Sea-Eagle also flew over being harassed by A Raven.
Steven Edwards

Swift Parrot Cattai National Park
About 8 Swift Parrots flew over at the very end of the picnic area.
Steven Edwards

Green Catbird, Far Eastern Curlew, hybrid corella Broadwater Drive, Saratoga
2 catbirds calling from the hill above the lagoon, and a flock of 10 curlews in flight over the lagoon. Also seen a likely hybrid Little x Long-billed Corella displaying characteristics of both species including mid length bill, limited red feathers on breast and at base of crest, and more blue skin below eye than a typical Little. Paired with a pure Little Corella. Poor phone pic attached
Eric Finley

Noisy Pitta, Bassian Thrush Blackbutt Forest Reserve, Blackbutt
Noisy Pitta (1) was seen under flying fox colony, about 20m in from the gate/ entrance though fence, hanging around a lantana clump. Possibly foraging with Bassian Thrush as both seen close together (I heard, then saw the Thrush first and that alerted me to the Pitta)
Lachlan Hall

Superb Parrot Orange Botanical Gardens
Flock of 12 Superb Parrot flew over garden first for season.
Botanical Gardens Bird Walk

Sat 31 Aug Leaden Flycatcher, Rainbow Bee Eater, Glossy Black Cockatoo Sawtell/Boambee Beach
Migrants returning with large flock of Bee Eaters flying overhead during the morning and 3 seen in afternoon in hind dunes. Leaden Flycatcher in paperbark wetland. Also an adult pair of Glossy Black Cockatoos with juvenile feeding in allocasuarina. More Beeaters heard overhead on Sunday 1st September.
Michael Cheers

Freckled Duck, Swift Parrot, Speckled Warbler, White-winged Triller Cobbitty
Saw one Freckled Duck on a small wetland in Cut Hill Reserve as well as Australian Hobby and a Wedge-tailed Eagle. Beside Cut Hill Rd had one Swift Parrot as well as the same overwintering female White-winged Triller I saw earlier in August, Jacky Winter, Peaceful and Bar-shouldered Doves, several Restless Flycatchers and a male Satin Bowerbird. In woodland on the edge of housing development at the end of Sutton Ave I saw 6 Speckled Warblers, Tree Martins as well as an abundance of White-naped and some Brown-headed Honeyeaters.
Edwin Vella

Pallid Cuckoo, Pacific Baza, Jacky Winter Wilton (approx. 80 km SW of Sydney CBD)
In less then 2 hours at Wilton yesterday morning, I recorded 71 species with interesting finds such as a Pacific Baza, Jacky Winters and my first Pallid Cuckoo for the season.
Edwin Vella

Black Honeyeaters, Gilbert's Whistlers, White-browed Woodswallows Nombinnie Nature Reserve
A half day birding trip around the 'wheat paddock' and surrounding areas found many calling Gilbert's Whistlers. Around 4x Black Honeyeaters were busy feeding amongst foliage. Estimated around 500 Woodswallows (mostly White-browed and some Masked) were seen flying around area and descending into trees, their chittering providing a constant backdrop to the whole morning. No Red-lored Whistlers seen/heard.
Jon Spicer-Bell

Cotton Pygmy-Goose, Latham's Snipe Lake Harrison, Kyogle
1 Male Pygmy-Goose found after some looking. Towards the back of the lake using telescope.
Mike Kuhl

Peregrine Falcon Deriah Aboriginal Area
Probably a pair, seen three times during a 3-hour visit, 2x(!) taking a Bar-shouldered Dove (the second time round observed plucking a dove off its perch; no photos though...). Escarpments suitable for nesting within 1-3 km from the sites where seen.
Michael Dahlem

Australasian Shoveler Centennial Parklands
A pair of shovelers roosting at the edge of an island on Duck Pond with a couple of Hardheads.
Graeme Robinson

Black Kite 147 Levenstrath Rd Levenstrath nr Grafton
two groups. 17 plus and following group had 40 to 50 birds. Working the thermals and moving in a general north easterly direction.
Warren Thompson

Fri 30 Aug Wedge-tailed Eagle, Grey Goshawk, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Red-browed Treecreeper, Olive-backed Oriole Lake Alexandra, Mittagong
Afternoon walk along Gibbagunyah Creek below Lake Alexandra found 39 species. Wedge-tailed Eagle Grey Goshawk Fan-tailed Cuckoo Red-browed Treecreeper Olive-backed Oriole
Terry Dunlea and Peter Dewey

Fri 30 Aug Freckled Duck, Black Falcon Monaltrie Wetland, Lismore
17 Freckled Duck and excellent views of a Black Falcon, which is rare in the Northern Rivers. Also a Brown Falcon - very educational...
Hans Wohlmuth

Fri 30 Aug Noisy Pitta x2, Glossy Black-Cockatoo, Warriewood Wetlands
Searched unsuccessfully near the small waterfall a few times for the pitta, however on dusk we heard it call from just off the track in some dense scrub, which in itself was surprising, because as far as I am aware nobody has noted the Warriewood pitta calling in all the months it has been here. However whilst it was calling, a second pitta responded from further up the ridge! Could this be the first breeding pitta pair Sydney has had in decades? Stay tuned... Also 3 Glossy Black-Cockatoos in the same area.
Joshua Bergmark, Nathan Ruser, Henry Coleman

Banded Lapwing Cornwallis Road, Windsor Turf Farms
A pair of Banded Lapwings with three small chicks indicate another breeding success for this species on the Windsor/Richmond turf farms. Seen in the usual locality at the southern end of Cornwallis Road opposite Deerubbun Park.
Roger and Louise McGovern

Thu 29 Aug Latham's Snipe Lake Harrison, Geneva-Kyogle
1 snipe on muddy lake edge. I could not find the Cotton Pygmy-goose seen on previous visits but the whole lake is not visible from the public access area.
Rob Elvish

Banded Lapwing Windsor end turf farms
7 adults with 3 chicks
Keith Brandwood

Powerful Owl Blue Mountains National Park (Glenbrook)
Observed two adult Powerful Owls in a tree along with a juvenile seen in the picture on a good afternoon birding. Other birds of note seen were Chestnut-rumped Heathwrens.
Jake Webb, James Fong and Josh Allen

Freckled Duck, Pallid Cuckoo, Buff-banded Rail, Latham's Snipe Eastlakes Golf Course
A good afternoon visit. A single Freckled Duck was found on the pond south of the weir, and David Mitford heard a Pallid Cuckoo (only the fourth record for the site) nearby. Other good sightings included 2 Latham's Snipe, a Buff-banded Rail, two coveys of Brown Quail, and 8 Nankeen Night Herons. Also cool was a White-browed Scrubwren mimicking a Galah, and a Blue-tongued Lizard.
Ashwin Rudder and David Mitford

Spotted Quail Thrush Burragorang Lookout Nattai
At about 10.00am this morning I was standing still at the lookout fence facing Lake Burragorang when the Spotted Quail Thrush walked out from under the fence about 5 metres away. It was walking around on the grass and feeding. I hadn't seen one before so I checked in my bird reference book for a positive identification.
Lesley Hook

Channel-billed Cuckoo Castlecrag
We have been hearing a Channel-billed Cuckoo the last few days. It seems incredibly early. [Moderator's note (NH): While this report of a CBC is the first one this season, it is in accordance with the typical arrival dates of CBC in the region]
Matthew Keighery

Wed 28 Aug Sooty Oystercatcher Gallows Beach, Coffs Harbour.
8.10am. One groups of six and then two on rocks south end of Gallows Beach.
Warren Thompson

Cotton Pygmy-Goose (subject to submission to NSW ORAC) Lake Harrison, Geneva (Kyogle)
Followed up on yesterday's Birdline report of a female - and found what I believe is a male! Searched unsuccessfully for a female. Overnight sex change would appear the most likely explanation... (Moderator's note (NH): This is certainly a male. Cotton Pygmy-Geese can be quite secretive, so it could well be possible that there is a male and a female. It would be good to see yesterday's pictures to confirm the sex of that bird. Sightings of Cotton Pygmy-Geese should be submitted to NSW ORAC)
Hans Wohlmuth

Rainbow Bee-eater Eulah Creek
Flock of about 30-50 high above, maybe 100 or 200 m, flying southward, calling in flight (no photo, but positive visual ID). To my knowledge the first Rainbow Bee-eaters in the area this season.
Michael Dahlem

Tue 27 Aug Superb Parrot Beckom-Mirool Road, Beckom
Superb Parrot (8) Eight in flowering eucalypt alongside dry watercourse
Mark Ley

Freckled Duck Emerald Downs Golf Course, Port Macquarie
Freckled Ducks have been present about a week, most are loafing close to the bank and pathway, so can be approached to within 25 m. Counted 26+ this morning. Many thanks to Sue Lipscombe (Hastings Bird watching Group)
Stephen Gallivan

Cotton Pygmy-Goose (subject to confirmation by NSW ORAC) Lake Harrison, Kyogle
One female Cotton Pygmy-Goose on lake. Photo taken which will be attached to the report at the first opportunity. (Moderator's note (NH): This is a great record (only the fifth in NSW since 2007 according to Birdline NSW, and is subject to confirmation by NSW ORAC)
Richard & Margaret Alcorn

Mon 26 Aug Curlew Sandpiper Sydney Airport
Single bird observed resting with 4 Red-capped Plovers at the south eastern end of the third runway mid-morning. Reported to the Aust Wader Study Group and ABBBS with as much detail as I could get off the leg bands. It's an uncommon sighting at this location.
Nigel Coghlan

Spotted Quail-Thrush Royal National Park (Waterfall/Uloola Track)
Single male Spotted Quail-Thrush hanging around for quite a while on the side of the track about 3 km from Waterfall.
Gary Gibbs

Sooty Owl (3) Berry Mountain - Private Property
3 birds heard, one of them was seen. All were making territorial calls but one bomb whistle call was also heard. Time first heard was 9:10 pm.
Carla and Ian Jackett

Double-banded Plover, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Bassian Thrush Central Coast Wetlands, Pioneer Dairy, Tuggerah
Highlights of a visit to the Central Coast Wetlands this afternoon was the sighting of a Double-banded Plover in breeding plumage and a newly arrived flock of 9 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers on the Dairy Swamp. This is only the 2nd time that there has been a DB Plover at this site. There are still 30+ Australian Shovellers on this wetland but all the Freckled Ducks have moved to the nearby McPherson rd Swamp. We also saw a Bassian Thrush, first reported on 15/8/13, and an Owlet-Nightjar.
Alan Morris, Tim Faulkner , John & Carole Carpenter

Australasian Grass Owl Bellfrog Track, Ash Island, Newcastle
One Grass Owl seen at 6.05 pm at corner of Bellfrog Track and Wagtail Way, and again at 6.25 pm halfway along Bellfrog Track.
Michael Kearns

Sharp-tailed Sandpipers Wilfords Lane wetlands, Lake Burrill.
12 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers were seen this afternoon at the wetlands. We had gone back there to check on a male Australian Painted-Snipe seen there yesterday. Unfortunately we dipped out on the latter with a report of children running riot in the area earlier.
Bob Rusk, Chris Shinton

Sun 25 Aug Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, Rufous Scrub-bird 29 28S 152 18E 1' Cell Washpool National Park
Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (1) Rufous Scrub-bird (1) heard distinctive call site not publicly accessible.
Greg & Val Clancy, Peter & Bev Morgan, Jan Patterson

Noisy Pitta, Bassian Thrush Smiths Lake, NSW 2428
Single call from Noisy Pitta in early morning. Also Bassian Thrush collecting food, presumably for young.
Phil Murray

Bluebonnet west of Obley
Bluebonnet (5) 2km w of Obley
Neville Schrader (1702)

Tree Martin Darling Harbour, Sydney CBD
Multiple pairs of Tree Martin perhaps breeding in girders of The Maritime Museum - observed only briefly without binoculars but 1 bird seen entering small hole in girders and behaviour of other birds suggestive. I haven't seen breeding report for Sydney City LGA or inner west
Andrew Taylor

Eastern Koel Pecan Close, Cherrybrook
Early return for the season? (Moderator's Note: This would appear to be one of the earlierst records for 2013, there was one calling in Mann St North Gosford on 17/8/13 AKM).
Gabrielle Rees

Sat 24 Aug Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, Rufous Scrub-bird, Southern Emuwren, Scarlet Robin Surveyors Creek, Gibraltar Range National Park
Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (1) heard calling with distinctive call Rufous Scrub-bird (1) distinctive call heard Southern Emuwren (3) Scarlet Robin (3) 2 immatures males, 1 adult female
Greg & Val Clancy, Peter & Bev Morgan, Jan Patterson

Freckled Duck Emerald Downs Golf Course Port Macquarie
24 Freckled Ducks on the pond near 17th hole first spotted by Terry Hastings bird watchers 23. Aug
Dave Whitfield

Fri 23 Aug Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, Powerful Owl, Southern Boobook, Glossy Black-Cockatoo, Rufous Scrub-bird, Sca Gibraltar Range National Park (Dandahra Picnic Area)
Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (1) heard calling - distinctive call Powerful Owl (1) heard calling - distinctive 'woo-woo' call haerd Southern Boobook (3) heard calling at night - distinctive 'bookbook' call heard, also warm up call Glossy Black-Cockatoo (3) adult pair with juvenile drinking at edge of Little Dandahra Creek Rufous Scrub-bird (1) heard calling east of picnic area Scarlet Robin (2) Olive-tailed Thrush (1)
Greg & Val Clancy, Peter & Bev Morgan

Thu 22 Aug Flock Bronzewing Sturt National Park (Olive Downs Homestead)
2 Flock Bronzewing came to drink at dam in the morning.
Nicole Spillane & Paul Jacobson

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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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