Birdline New South Wales Weekly Update

Birdline New South Wales

Published sightings for the week ending 3 Nov 2013.

Sun 3 Nov	Great-winged Petrel (Grey-faced), Shy and Black-browed Albatross Mistral Point, Maroubra A strong southerly change hit mid afternoon, I had 4 Grey-faced Petrels, 2 seen very well, showing the characteristics of gouldii as opposed to macroptera. Also 2 Pomarine Jaegers, 3 Shy Albatross and 7 Black-browed Albatross. Not unexpectedly no inexpectata ! David Mitford
	Red-rumped Parrot Long Reef Golf Course Red-rumped Parrot (1) Single bird Mark.Young
	Grey Plover South Ballina Beach (northern section - south wall to 4WD access track) with Steve McB to check out the waders at the 2020 wader count area. Quite warm with little wind. a lot of dead short tailed shearwaters half buried in the sand. a dog with the owner way too close to a signed Pied Oystercatcher breeding area. Jetskis also being driven closeby. Grey Plover (1) with the pack of waders but mostly on the edges, good views of the dark armpits. Photo available Need to view waders on a high tide. Kathy Wilk & Steve McBride
	Ruff, Pectoral and Wood Sandpiper Pitt Town Lagoon This morning, went again to Pitt Town Lagoon and there are definitely more shorebirds then last weekend including one of the Ruffs, 3-4 Pectoral Sandpipers (on 2 occasions had 2 in the same field of view - see attached photo), one Wood and c150 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, 7 Pacific Golden Plovers, about a dozen Red-kneed Dotterels. There was a Little Egret, 16 Glossy Ibis etc. Next to the horse paddocks the mistletoes were still attracting lots of Honeyeaters especially Scarlet and saw a number of White-cheeked Honeyeaters in with them as well. Unfortunately no Painted Honeyeater seen this time. Edwin Vella, Mark Fuller, Tony & Stephanie Dawe, Eric Yan et al
	Powerful Owl Sheldon Forest Turramurra Single Powerful Owl seen roosting in streamside woodland about 400 m in from the Troon Place entrance approx 11:30 am Tom Wilson
Sat 2 Nov	Freckled Duck & Pink-eared Duck Cobbitty One Freckled Duck and two Pink-eared Duck observed on dam at Cut Hill Reserve on Cut Hill Road Cobbitty. Michael Paul
	Freckled Duck Putta Bucca Wetlands, Mudgee Freckled Duck (4) Four observed on the rectangular pond to right of the old bird hide (hide is the one on the right, directly opposite the car park). The birds are easily viewed from the hide. Large numbers of Hardheads and Pink-eared Ducks also present. Kurtis Lindsay
	Musk Lorikeet Myahgah Rd, Mosman 8+ birds feeding in a tall gum tree and circling the area. Anita Smedberg
	Diamond Firetail Rollands Plains Rd. Telegraph Point Single bird. Have lived here 20 + years and have never recorded one before. Maybe the dry weather has driven them further towards the coast. Phill Shelley
Fri 1 Nov	Australian Koel Eden Australian Koel (1) Heard its unmistabable call repeated over a 5min period from the centre of Eden while enjoying a mid morning stopover at Snug Cove. In Far Eastern Victoria at Marlo where Jacquie and I reside, there has been a notable absence of Australian Koel observations so far. Not so for Mallacoota and in and around Melbourne's outer eastern suburbs. The same applies for other species such as the Scarlet Honeyeater, Channel-billed Cuckoo and Eastern Osprey. Why there should be such a "gap" is puzzling as it applies to a number of species this year? Len and Jacquie Axen
	Pacific Golden-Plover, Pectoral Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff Pitt Town Lagoon Pacific Golden-Plover (3; one in the photograph on the left); Pectoral Sandpiper (1); Curlew Sandpiper (2); Ruff (1; photograph on the right, together with Sharp-tailed Sandpiper) Mark.Young
	Sanderling Boat Harbour, Kurnell A juvenile Sanderling was running with the little waves washing up by Boat Harbour this afternoon. Lynn & Bruce Roubin
	Spotted Harrier Cape Banks This afternoon. Rather unexpected: 1 Spotted Harrier, 50 m from the ocean, near foot bridge at the end of the golf course. It landed and walked around on the ground for several minutes, covering ca. 20 m. 4 Black-browed Albatross, Short-tailed Shearwaters close to shore, few Wedge-tailed Shearwaters as well. Bas Hensen
	Little Curlew, Greenshank and Marsh Sandpiper Fivebough Wetlands The Little Curlew is still present at Fivebough. It was seen on Saturday and Monday and again today along with the Greenshank and Marsh Sandpiper. The water is fast disappearing from the swamp so the birds might start moving elsewhere soon. Max O'Sullivan
Thu 31 Oct	"Albino" Plumed Whistling-duck Yanco Feedlot via Leeton The attached photo shows a white whistling-duck which is totally white except for the underwing primaries which are the normal colour. Does this still make it a true albino? Photo taken by Ben Kreschenka who works at the feedlot. Any comments to [Moderator's comment (NH): I have seen further pictures of this bird. Dark primaries and normal colour of bare parts (iris, bill, legs/feet) rule out albinism. This is a leucistic Plumed Whistling-Duck] Ben Kreschenka
	Australasian Grass Owl South East Bellata A pair of Australasian Grass Owls was disturbed during the harvest of a wheat field on a private property (no public access) 5 km south-east of Bellata this afternoon. Both birds escaped unharmed and both were photographed. Michael Dahlem
	Australian Koel Albury, Nail Can Hill area Heard calling 29th & 31st. Others have seen and photographed. Australian Koels used to be a rarity in the Albury region but this is the third year in a row that they have visited, and each year they seem to be coming earlier. Janet Chapman
	Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff (x2), Freckled Duck Pitt Town Lagoon Single Curlew Sandpiper seen with a group of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers (numbers of the latter have built significantly in the last week). 2 Ruff still present. (Another observer had seen the Pectoral Sandpipers but I did not). Possible Freckled Duck roosting on one of the islands. Colour and head shape looked good, but did not raise head so bill shape not seen to clinch ID. 16 Glossy Ibis also still present. No sign of the Painted Honeyeater at either the lagoon horse paddock or Friendship Bridge over Pitt Town Bottoms Rd. At latter site were Rufous and Golden Whistlers interacting, and singles of Shining & Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo and Black-faced Monarch. Tom Wilson
	Pink-eared Ducks, Swamp Harrier Eastlakes Golf Course Six Pink-eared Ducks in the pond near the tool sheds this morning. A juvenile Swamp Harrier hunting over reed beds. Bas Hensen
Wed 30 Oct	Ruff, Freckled Duck, Pectoral Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper Pitt Town Lagoon Both Ruffs were showing well at the lagoon, and to follow up on Tom's report, we saw two Freckled Ducks swimming on the lagoon. Associating with the main flock of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers to the south of the island (or, more aptly now, peninsular) was a single Curlew Sandpiper. The Pectoral Sandpiper was seen early in the afternoon with the aid of a visiting British birder and his scope but could not be relocated with just binoculars. Also seen was a Little Egret, five Glossy Ibis, both species of Mannikin and Double-barred Finch. No sign of the Painted Honeyeater. Nathan Ruser, Henry Coleman and Ashwin Rudder
	Oriental Plover Sydney Airport With none observed yesterday before or during the southerly buster (gusting winds of 55kts!) and no sightings this morning, I'd assumed the Oriental Plovers had moved on, but this afternoon all 6 Oriental Plovers were back in the same location as previous sightings. Also observed this morning were 2 Little Terns along the eastern seawall in breeding plumage. Both birds had leg bands, but I doubt I'll be able to read the numbers from the few photos I took. Nigel Coghlan
	Musk Lorikeet Military Rd Neutral Bay I saw 4 fly over St Leonards park and 2 fly over the back yard where I work on Military Rd then got out the binoculars. 4 x spotted, with the binoculars, in the middle island between Big Bear and The bus stop, feeding with Rainbows on a eucalypt like tree with red blooms. [Moderator's note (NH): To follow up on the previous discussion: These bird were initially thought to be Little Lorikeets but the observer wanted to be sure and went back to take pictures identifying the birds as Musk Lorikeets.] Richard Hardiman
Tue 29 Oct	Wandering Whistling-Ducks, Freckled Ducks, Marsh Sandpiper West Byron Sewage Treatment Plant Over 30 Wandering Whistling-Ducks. A dozen Freckled Ducks all over the place, a limping Marsh Sandpiper. Duncan Fowler
	Australian Pratincole South East Bellata The presence of a pair of Australian Pratincoles was confirmed, with both birds found flying together less than 500 m away from the previous sightings, a few weeks ago. The birds are still on fallow fields on a broadacre farm (private property; no public access). No photos taken, but excellent views. So far no sign of breeding activity. Michael Dahlem
	Painted Honeyeater Yarrie Lake Painted Honeyeaters are thick on the ground now at Yarrie Lake. This morning an estimated 20 were heard calling and at least 5 seen at one time (photo showing 3 attached). Both numbers and activity are up compared to earlier reports from Yarrie Lake, but no sign of nesting found. Michael Dahlem
	Brolga, Red Kneed Dotterel, Marsh Sandpiper Boyters Lane, Jerseyville A pair of Brolgas were nice to see in a paddock next to Boyters Lane, while there was a Marsh Sandpiper, Red-kneed Dotterel and several Sharp-tailed Sandpipers visible from the bird hide in Teal Lagoon. Tim Morris
	Southern Emuwren, Chestnut-rumped Heathwren Voyager Point 1' Cell While searching for more Chestnut-rumped Heathwren at Voyager Point Wetlands (Liverpool LGA) this morning I also found a part of Southern Emuwren, sympatric with Variegated Fairy Wren and Superb Fairywren. Southern Emuwren (3) at least 3 including imm male. Chestnut-rumped Heathwren. David James
Mon 28 Oct	White-winged Choughs Northern outskirts of Minmi, near Newcastle At least four White-winged Choughs observed on the road verge near the primary school. Deryk Engel, Paul Burcher and Stephen Bloomfield
	Pectoral Sandpiper, White-winged Triller, Variegated Fairy-wren Bakers Lagoon, Richmond There is nearly no water in the lagoon - just large puddle completely filled by fish. Australian Pelicans (13) were gorging on fish. Raptors (5 White-belled Sea-eagles and 4 Whistling Kite) were eating large fish laying on the dried mud. There were also waders feeding on the drying mud: including Sharp-tailed Sandpipers (62), Pectoral Sandpiper (1), Red-kneed Dotterel (2), Black-fronted Dotterel (2), Black-winged Stilt (2), Great Egret (1), White-necked Heron (3), Royal Spoonbill (1). Other birds around lagoon: White-winged Triller, Variegated Fairy-wren, Brown Quail (20) Ted Wnorowski
	Pectoral Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper Bushells Lagoon, Hawkesbury Wader count around lagoon (10:00 am): Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (107), Curlew Sandpiper (3), Pectoral Sandpiper (1), Red-kneed Dotterel (3), Black-fronted Dotterel (2), Black-winged Stilt (6). There were also 9 Pink-eared Ducks. Ted Wnorowski
	Ruff, Pectoral Sandpiper, Painted Honeyeater Pitt Town Lagoon I conducted a wader count around the lagoon (around 9:00 am): Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (89), Pectoral Sandpiper (1), Ruff (1), Glossy Ibis (16), Black-winged Stilt (21), Red-kneed Dotterel (5), Black-fronted Dotterel (4), Yellow-billed Spoonbill (3), Royal Spoonbill (2), Little Egret (1). Two Painted Honeyeater were seen and hear in the wattle trees (near paddock with horses). The first bird was definitely male (bright black upperparts with bright yellow wing and tail edges, pink bill, white underparts with spots on the sides). The second bird looked smaller and duller. Looked brownish. It disappeared in the wattle bush and it was very difficult to watch it. Ted Wnorowski
	Black-tailed Godwits (15-20), Little Terns (5-6), Gull-billed Terns (7-8) Stockton Sandspit, Newcastle As the tide was rising, 100+ Bar-tailed Godwits landed on the beach in a number of flocks. There were at least 15 Black-tailed Godwits within the large group. Those were the birds which offered a good enough view to confirm. There were about 5 others which looked suspiciously like Black-tails but I didn't get a good enough look to be sure. Little and Gull-billed Terns were good to see. 20-30 Curlew Sandpipers, 5-6 Red-Capped Plovers, 100-150 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, 4-5 Red-necked Stints, 60-70 Red-necked Avocets, 1 Striated Heron, 2 Pied Oystercatchers with a chick, 30-40 Pacific Golden Plovers, 15-20 Eastern Curlews, Possibly a Whimbrel, 10-15 Black-Winged Stilts. Andrew Walker
	Short-tailed Shearwater Hordens Beach, Bundeena 100 or so exhausted Short-tailed Shearwaters resting just off-shore, with some struggling in the shore break or resting on the beach, returning to the water if approached. Many in the water were continuing to search for food, and some were flying normally further out in the moderate NE winds. Lynn & Bruce Roubin
	White-throated Needletail Banora Point 5 or 6 over Sextons Hill Rob Morrow
	Ruff, Painted Honeyeater Pitt Town Lagoon Quick visit this morning to try to photograph the Ruff. It came over to feed near the little island giving us close views at about 10 am. Ruff (1) Came over quite close with a small flock of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. Painted Honeyeater (1) in acacia near bottom of horse paddock. Heard creaky swing call & had brief but clear view. Jenny Stiles
Sun 27 Oct	Black Falcon Teven Road Swamp Black Falcon showing off. Still present the following morning. Steve McBride and Hans Wohlmuth
Sun 27 Oct	Grey Currawong Helensburgh 10' Cell Driving north on M1 near Helensburgh turn off. Grey Currawong (1). Only a quick glance. It was an all mid grey bird, the size of a Pied Currawong. longish bill. Sitting on the ground by the side of the freeway next to woodland. Paul Freeman (2404)
	Superb Fruit-Dove Pelican Point rainforest Port Macquarie A single bird seen in the rainforest canopy. I am certain it was a female Superb Fruit-Dove. It was perhaps 10 m from me and while the viewing was not the best I watched the bird for perhaps 20 seconds. My view was half back/side view. I did not see the breast or the purple patch on the crown of the head. What I did see was a small fruit-dove with a green back, wings and hind neck and face. I also noted the pale edging to the primaries and the whitish markings on the flanks. I definitely did not see a pink/rose crown or any orange on the flanks. I concluded it was a Superb Fruit-Dove before looking at any field guide and the white on the flanks was my reason. I did check a field guide at the time and before making my submission to Eremaea. When I got your e-mail I made a point of having a longer and more in depth look at all my field guides and HANZAB and all that has done is confirm my opinion on the birds identity. I was concerned that it could have been a juvenile bird but am sure that is not the case. Peter West
	Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove Sea Acres Nature Reserve, Port Macquarie At least two Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves calling at Sea Acres with one observed collecting nesting material. Must be a good year for them this year as there were also at least two calling and interacting at Pelican Point Nature Reserve, Port Macquarie on the same day. Tim Morris
	Speckled Warbler 20km South East of Moree A pair of Speckled Warbler were observed and heard calling in a small patch of scrub in coolibah woodland surrounded by farmland. They were observed in a wilga. This is the furthest north/west I have seen the species as they are usually found in closed forest in the hills instead of dry farming country on the plains. The closest site I have seen Speckled Warblers to town is at Terry Hie Hie. Curtis Hayne
	Banded Lapwings Cornwallis Road, Windsor While on the Twitchathon, our team saw 12 Banded Lapwings on a turf farm on the left of Cornwallis Road just north of Deerubbun Park. Elisabeth Karplus
Sat 26 Oct	Double-banded Plover Breeza Dam, Breeza 1 Double-banded Plover seen on the dam at around 9 am. Red-kneed Dotterels and Cockatiels common around the dam as well. Photo by David Langley. Robert Hynson, David Langley, Andrew Holmes
	Freckled Duck Gunnedah sewage treatment plant 3 Freckled Ducks seen roosting on the pipes crossing the far pond. Robert Hynson, David Langley, Andrew Holmes
	Magpie-Geese, Australian Shelduck, Black-tailed Native-hen Monkeygar Creek Crossing, Macquarie Marshes, Quambone There were a group of 43 Australian Shelduck and 10 Magpie-Geese seen at the western side of the crossing amongst the many water birds present. This is a large number of Shelducks for a location so far north in NSW. a group of 6 Black-tailed Native-hens, Swamp Harriers, Kestrels, Brown Falcons and an immature Sea-eagle also present. 2 Buff-banded Rails and a Baillon's Crake were found on the eastern side of the crossing. An Evironmental Flow has been passing through the Marshes this pass month and has in-undated parts of the Marshes, although the flow is starting to slow down. Alan Morris,Mike Kuhl, Nick Carson
	Plum-headed Finch, Brolga, Diamond Dove wetland near The Mole HSD, Warren-Carinda Rd, Willie A small flock of 5 Plum-headed Finches, Southern Yellow Robins, 4 Brolga (but local landholder says that there are 18 Brolgas currently on his wetlands), Little Eagle, Diamond Doves, 70 Glossy ibis, Hobby and Spotted Bowerbird were some of the highlights, of the 60 species seen from the road in 2 hours. Alan morris, Mike Kuhl, Nick Carson
	Painted & Singing Honeyeaters, Mulga Parrot, Chestnut-crowned Babbler 7kms west of the Communications tower at Willie, Warren-Carinda Rd. At a site on the Coolabah Rd, 7 kms from the Willie Communications Tower, which is located on the junction of the Gibson Way and the Warren-Carinda Rd, we came across flowering Sugerwood and Budda (Eremophila mitchelli) in which many honeyeaters were feeding including 8+ Black Honeyeaters, 4+ Painted Honeyeaters, many Spiny-cheeked, Singing and Striped Honeyeaters , as well as small numbers of Mulga and Ringneck Parrots and Chestnut-crowned Babblers Alan Morris, Mike Kuhl & Nick Carson
	Plum-headed Finch, White-winged Black Tern, Wood Sandpiper Lake Cargelligo Sewage Treatment Works We saw about a dozen Plum-headed Finches just before dusk (around 19:35) but didn't notice any juveniles (cf. Warren Chad's Twitchathon team; #202803). We were very surprised to see them, but very pleased as well! We also saw the White-winged Black Tern previously reported by Edwin (on both Fri and Sat), along with a single Wood Sandpipers, 3 Red-necked Stints, a few Marsh Sandpipers, Greenshanks, Australasian Shovelers, Freckled & Pink-eared Ducks, singles of Chestnut Teal & Wandering Whistling Duck amongst the other ducks. Also Crimson Chats and a Brown Treecreeper that appeared to be at least investigating a tree hollow near the gate - talk about marginal habitat! Image showing Wandering Whistling Duck, Spotted Crakes, Wood Sandpiper and Red-kneed Dotterel attached. Mick and Steve Roderick, Craig Anderson, Lucas Grenadier
	Australian Pratincole Lake Cargelligo 10' Cell Australian Pratincole flushed from roadside about 1 km north of Lake Cargelligo. Brown upperbody and wings, dark outer wing, wings cranked and pointed; square, white tail with black bar at end (description by the Walmsley et al. team; attached out-of-focus image by the Roderick et al. team who were in a hurry on the Twitchathon and had no time for good photography!) Ben Walmsley, Brendan Sheean, Scott Ryan; Mick & Steve Roderick, Craig Anderson, Lucas Grenadier
Fri 25 Oct	Powerful Owl Redbank Creek junction with Stonequarry Creek, Picton Mother and juvenile up (10 m) in Backhousia with thick vines. Mother flew off as we walked past. We were lucky to get some reasonable photos despite the dodgy light, camera and photographer. Gerard Proust
	Pallid Cuckoo Bureen, 8.5 km South-east of Denman At a distance over 1.5 km, three separate sightings were made of three different Pallid Cuckoos which were perched on the overhead wires or on fence posts along the Jerrys Plain-Martindale Rd. Two were seen to be feeding on caterpillars. We returned the same route two days later in the morning in the hope of adding them to our Twitchathon tally but they were nowhere to be seen. Mike Kuhl, Nick Carson & Alan Morris
	Wedge-tailed Eagle 10 km West of Merriwa on Golden Highway. A group of 5 Wedge-tailed Eagles were feeding on the ground in a paddock about 200m in from the Highway but we could not see what they were feeding on. Another 2 Wedge-tailed Eagles were in the air above the feeding group. 7 Wedge-tailed Eagles together is unusual in the Hunter Region. Mike Kuhl, Nick Carson & Alan Morris
	Black-eared Cuckoo, Painted Honeyeater, Ground Cuckooshrike Kelvin Cell 30 40S 150 20E 10' Cell Clear, warm-hot, breezy. Black-eared Cuckoo (1) Excellent views; Painted Honeyeater - many and very vocal; Ground Cuckooshrike (1) Flew off after being attacked by Yellow-throated Miners Grant Brosie, Rob Kilkelly & Nick Livanos
	Banded Lapwing, Diamond Dove, Inland Thornbill, Chestnut-rumped Thornbill, Plum-headed Finch Leard State Forest Leard was very dry and only a handful of small passerines were recorded. Weebill which are usually plentiful were absent. Weather was clear, warm-hot and breezy at times. Mining activity appears to be increasing steadily. Banded Lapwing (2) Maules Creek Road just as we exited the SF; Diamond Dove (1) at the small dam on the north-west border; Inland Thornbill (1); Chestnut-rumped Thornbill (2); Plum-headed Finch (20+). Grant Brosie, Rob Kilkelly & Nick Livanos
	Musk Lorikeet Sheehy St, Glebe I just read the record of the Little Lorikeets in Glebe last Friday and wanted to add my two cents. I walked up my street (Sheehy St, a few hundred metres away from Bicentennial Park) at about 0650 to pick up a newspaper and heard and saw three fast-moving Lorikeets going south. I believe they were Musk Lorikeets, as they had a distinctively "clink"-ier call, rather than the "zitt"-ier call that I'm used to hearing Little's make. I didn't get a clear look at their colouring as they were silhouetted, so I could be wrong, but I thought it would be worth checking. [Moderator's note (NH): While Little Lorikeets are not totally unexpected they are indeed very unusual at this site. In contrast, Musk Lorikeets are regular there and at certain times even common. Simon's description of size and call indicate that 'his birds' (Simon Gorta 25/10 #202397) were Little Lorikeets] Aleksei Atkin
Thu 24 Oct	Little Bronze-Cuckoo King Creek, Wauchope A Little Bronze-Cuckoo heard calling on my neighbour's property. Clive Meadows
Sun 13 Oct	Wood Sandpiper Lake Narrabri A single Wood Sandpiper feeding around the reeds at the south end of the lake next to Mooloobar St, flushed by a spotted Harrier but relocated near by. Peter West & Sue Proust
Sun 6 Oct	Superb Lyrebird Greenwich Superb Lyrebird just west of Greenwich wharf first sighted on the cliff then crossing the track and heading up into the backyard of a house. Photos in my Google Picasa album are geo-tagged to show the location. Patrick Dibben

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