Birdline New South Wales Weekly Update

Birdline New South Wales

Published sightings for the week ending 17 Nov 2013.

Sun 17 Nov	Wood Sandpiper West Ballina STW's One Wood Sandpiper roosting on mud in settling pond. We couldn't find the previously recorded Ruff, in spite of trying 3 times this weekend. It was seen at 0630 on Sat. (16th). June Harris
	Black Honeyeaters Condobolin About 8 birds have been feeding on Jacaranda blossoms for the last three days in a garden on the outskirts of town. At least two birds were juveniles. Very unusual to see them away from the bigger state forests and nature reserves. Other birds seen were Crimson Chats and Spotted Bowerbird. The Chats also had juveniles with them Warren Chad
	Superb Fruit-Dove, Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove, Wompoo Fruit-Dove Rocky Creek Dam (Nightcap National Park) Had a great morning birding in Nightcap National Park this morning with the highlight being 6 or 7 sSuperb Fruit-Doves also 25 to 30 Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves and about the same number of Wompoo Fruit-Doves. michael ronan.
	Pheasant Coucal Mehi River, Moree West (behind Moree Golf Course) A Pheasant Coucal was heard calling several times in dense vegetation along the Mehi River at the west side of town, behind the Golf Course. This is the second time, this species has been present in the region (the first time, the Pheasant Coucal was at the same exact site, and again heard calling only - years ago). Curtis Hayne
Sat 16 Nov	Square-tailed Kite Ellerman Park, Dural Two Square-tailed Kites hunt, quite often, in this park. Susan Kim Lee
	Superb Fairy-wren, Little Grassbird, Grey-crowned Babbler Pian Creek, Rossmore Lane, near Burren Junction At the Rossmore Lane TSR waterhole of Pian Creek, 10 km East of Burren Junction (#6 of the "Bird Routes of the Western Namoi Floodplains") the following were found (amongst others): Superb Fairy-wren (near the inland boundary of its range) in lignum (photo), Little Grassbird in reeds and lignum ("More information" link) found amongst many Australian Reed-Warblers, and Grey-crowned Babblers calling from nearby acacia scrub. Michael Dahlem
	Arctic Jaeger, Pomarine Jaeger and Black-browed Albatross Mistral Point, Maroubra One dark phase Arctic Jaeger seen today, also 3 Pomarine Jaegers and one Black-browed Albatross. Also of note were Wedge-tailed Shearwaters heading south at the rate of at least 3,800 per hour, similar numbers of Short-tailed Shearwaters, but they were further out. David Mitford
	Banded Lapwing, Pink-eared Duck, Black-tailed Native-hen Burren Junction In a dam just east of the Burren Junction Bore Bath, about 100 m from the pond where Marsh Sandpipers were found (separate report), 25 Banded Lapwings were present (got up to 23 in one photo). This is the first time I see them outnumbering Masked Lapwings (just a few around). Also seen: about 15 Black-tailed Native-hens, 100 Pink-eared Ducks (in addition to those seen on the other pond), another 50 Grey Teals, maybe 20 Hoary-headed Grebes, some more Black-winged Stilts. Michael Dahlem
	White-cheeked Honeyeater Riverstone There is currently loads of mistletoe in flower around Riverstone attracting good numbers of honeyeaters. At the end of Marsden Lane there were at least 8 White-cheeked Honeyeaters (and I'd say even more), numerous Scarlet and lesser numbers of Brown-headed, Yellow-faced and White-plumed Hoenyeaters, Spinebills, Red and Little Wattlebirds and Noisy Friarbirds. Tried playback for Painted Honeyeaters but no success on this occasion. The White-cheeked Honeyeater now makes species number 234 for the ever impressive Blacktown Shire list. I also must note that I have seen 174 of the 234 species during 2013!!! Edwin Vella
	Marsh Sandpiper, Black-winged Stilt, Pink-eared Duck Burren Junction In a pond on the western side of the parking lot at the Burren Junction Bore Bath (bath closed now, but parking/toilets/picnic facilities available), amongst about 100 Pink-eared Ducks and a similar number of Grey Teals, 3 Marsh Sandpipers were found on a sand bank. About 20 Black-winged Stilt were present too (see separate report on birds found in nearby dam). Michael Dahlem
	Ruff, Pectoral Sandpiper Pitt Town Lagoon Despite higher water levels then previous weekend, there was still at least one Ruff, 1 or 2 Pectoral Sandpipers, at least 110 Sharpies, 10 Red-kneed and 3 Black-fronted Dotterels, 3 Hardheads amongst lots of Grey Teal, etc. There was also a Swamp Harrier, Tawny Grassbird and lots of finches. Along nearby Pitt Town Bottoms Rd there were still a number of birds attracted to flowering mistletoe - Scarlet and White-cheeked Honeyeaters, Mistletoebirds and Spinebills. A Rainbow Bee-eater was seen and a Brush Cuckoo was heard here. Edwin Vella
	Black & Painted Honeyeaters, Latham's Snipe, Swamp Harrier, Brolga, Black-necked Stork, Cattle Egret Gwydir Watercourse Wetlands Birded the Gwydir Watercourse Wetlands. The area is very dry, Sunny, clear, 32 degrees. 110 species. A pair of Black Honeyeaters, M & F, were feeding in flowering coolibahs and river coobahs. A pair of Painted Honeyeaters were also present, both calling strongly, feeding in flowering coolibahs, river coobahs and casuarinas. Waterbird highlights included 20 Black Swans, an adult male Black-necked Stork, 2 Cattle Egrets, an Intermediate Egret, 3 Nankeen Night Herons, 40 Glossy Ibises, 100 Royal & 100 Yellow-billed Spoonbill, 150 Eurasian Coot, 60+ Masked Lapwings, 50+ Red-kneed Dotterels and Black-fronted Dotterels, 110+ Brolgas, 120+ Black-winged Stilts, 50+ Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, 15 Gull-billed Terns, 10 Whiskered Terns, and finally the first Latham's Snipe for the season was flushed. 3 Wedge-tailed Eagles including a juvenile were observed as well as a Swamp Harrier and 5+ Brown Falcons. A pair of Rainbow Bee-eaters were heard calling as well as an Olive-backed Oriole. Cockatiels were in abundance, 300+. 30 Budgerigars were observed calling. Grey-crowned Babblers were also in abundance. Only 4 White-browed Woodswallows were present, separate pairs, first time no flock was seen. 4 Jacky Winters were observed. Australian Reed-Warblers, Tawny Grassbirds and Golden-headed Cisticolas were very vocal. 150+ Plum-headed Finches and 40+ Zebra Finches were observed as well as a single Double-barred Finch (unusually scarce, single bird amongst flock of Zebras). Curtis Hayne and Ainslee Lines
	Glossy Black-Cockatoo 5 km south of Wee Waa A group of 11 Glossy Black-Cockatoos was found feeding in roadside casuarinas south of Wee Waa. The group included both adults and several immature birds (photo) and is the largest single group I have ever found. They were in the scrawniest-looking casuarina in the whole area, almost no foliage, but full of seed cones. Quite easy to approach once a nervous clan of Apostlebirds had cleared out, but then spooked by two passing cars (in the middle of nowhere). Michael Dahlem
	Black Falcon, possible Swamp Harrier Oakhurst, western Sydney This morning an Australian Raven was chasing what looked like a Swamp Harrier, a new record for my backyard (distant ID shot attached). Luckily I had my camera on me this afternoon when I got a second record of the Black Falcon in the nearby causeway this afternoon. Mark Fuller
	Curlew Sandpiper, Little Egret . . . Hen & Chicken Bay (inner west, Sydney) Walked Wareemba shoreline yesterday afternoon and this pm. Fri: tide halfway out - usual species plus group of Curlew Sandpipers (nr bottom of Hill St), Striated Heron on the open beach, welcome swallows getting mud. Sat: tide further out. Little Egret, viewed from near children's play-ground. No sandpipers seen. Barrie Ayres
	Black-faced Monarch, Nankeen Night-heron, Striated Heron Dragon Rock on Wolli Creek, lower track off Turella Reserve, Earlwood A single Black-faced Monarch seen in a dense patch of weeds (lantana, balloon vine, tobacco vine) at the end of the lower track along Wolli Creek. The end of a nice survey which included Nankeen Night-herons, a Striated Heron and a pair of Channel-billed Cuckoos being mobbed by pretty much any bird that saw them! Melissa Mason, Fiona Vaughan
Fri 15 Nov	Pheasant Coucal River Ave, Chatswood West One Pheasant Coucal in breeding plumage flew across River Ave to the Lane Cove River side as I was driving. Proceeded to land in a casaurina allowing fantastic views until I moved on. Quite unexpected here. Max Breckenridge
Fri 15 Nov	Spotless Crake Eastlakes Golf Course Two Spotless Crakes were seen flying to and from a small reed island at regular intervals, with food. Good to know they have been breeding here! Baillon's Crake was seen again in the small round pond around Lachlan Swamps and also near the vehicle shed. Andrew Walker
	Caspian Tern, Lewin's Rail, Baillon's Crake Eastlakes Golf Course One Caspian Tern over the main lake, kept flying NE. Lewin's Rail calling in two locations, ca. 500 m apart, either side of Fairy Martin colony. Baillon's Crake. Did not see/hear the Black-faced Monarch which was around 2 days ago. 1 Swamp Harrier near the hill. Bas Hensen
	Musk Lorikeet Orange North 30+ noisily feeding in a flowering Red Ironbark Neville Schrader
Thu 14 Nov	Red-necked Avocets, Ruff Pitt Town Lagoon 10 Red-necked Avocets, 1 Ruff Keith Brandwood/Marie Lister
	Baillon's Crake, Latham's Snipe Eastlakes Golf Course After looking for Latham's Snipe in the small pond on the northern side of the main lake, a secretive Baillon's Crake made a brief appearance, giving good enough views to confirm striped under-tail patterns. Seven Latham's Snipe were counted in the morning in the pond alone. Andrew Walker
Wed 13 Nov	Dollarbird Nielsen Park Vaucluse Sitting high up in dry branches overlooking the harbour. Also present were Spotted Pardalotes, Crested Terns, Fairy Martins and good views of a female Eastern Koel. [Moderator's note (NH): While none of the mentioned species are unusual in Sydney, they are at this specific site] Marie Lister
	Red-necked Avocet Ettalong Beach Central Coast NSW 5 Red-necked Avocets were on the beach on a sunny day with little wind. The tide was almost in. I was quite close to the group of birds as I was walking along the beach and they took off and flew around me to settle back down on the beach. Rob Evans
	White-throated Needletail Macquarie Park, North Ryde At least a dozen White-throated Needletails flying very low over the tree tops and morning rush hour traffic. Iain Blake
	Square-tailed Kite Riverstone One Square-tailed Kite seen flying low over trees near the corner of Clarke and Cranbourne Streets around 4pm. Carl Corden
	Apostlebirds (2) Alroy Park, Plumpton Originally introduced and now an established isolated population. This location is a reliable spot (at breeding time) for anyone wishing to see this species in Sydney. Mark Fuller
	Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoos Plumpton Park, Plumpton I found a group of four YTBCs feeding in a fruiting White Cedar, suprised to note that its grubs were the attraction rather than its copious berries. Mark Fuller
Tue 12 Nov	White-throated Needletail Lower Pappinbarra 15 White-throated Needletail seen flying high after rain. The first seen this season here. Satin and Regent Bowerbirds building nests with both collecting material by breaking off dead twigs on a Leptospermum very close to both nests. The Satin was aggressive towards the Regent when it was trying to collect twigs. Three times a male Regent came to chase off the Satin female when it was aggressively chasing the female Regent out of the Leptospermum. This allowed to Regent female to obtain material. Male Regents may not help by building the nest but it sure looked like it was assisting the female to collect material. Ian Kerr
	White-eared Monarch, Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Emerald Dove Huonbrook Mullumbimby I observed this morning a pair of White-eared Monarchs copulating (probably not many birdwatchers have seen this before). Also seen Wompoo Fruit-Doves and a Emerald Dove. michael ronan
Sun 10 Nov	Short-tailed Shearwater Arakoon National Park (Trial Bay) A total of 13,000 beach-cast Short-tailed Shearwaters at Arakoon National Park (Trial Bay) since migration began. Ken Shingleton
	Southern Emuwren Cattai Wetlands, near Coopernook Drizzly and cold. Southern Emuwren (3) 1 male, 2 female. Photographed. Jenny Stiles
	Ruff West Ballina STP Single Ruff found amongst large group of other small waders, (estimated 200), mostly Sharp-tailed Sandpipers with a few Curlew Sandpipers & Red-necked Stints. Steven McBride
	Sacred Kingfisher Oakhurst, western Sydney I was stunned this morning to see a Sacred Kingfisher sitting on a Cocos Palm outside my bathroom window. An uncommon but regular visitor to the area. Mark Fuller
Sat 9 Nov	Brolga, Marsh Sandpiper Boyters Lane, Jerseyville Made several visits to this area over 2 days and saw different birds each time. The bird hide gets my vote as the worst ever as the opening were much too high or much too low! Brolga (2) In paddock drinking from a bath tub on 10th November. Marsh Sandpiper (1) In front of bird hide. Jenny Stiles
	Red-backed Fairywren Hat Head National Park Red-backed Fairywren (2) Observed and male photographed from the lighthouse at Smoky Cape. Only walked up to Smoky Cape Lighthouse so birding opportunities pretty slight. I thought it was worth recording the Red-backed Fairy-wrens as they have not been recorded before in this block. Jenny Stiles
	Red-backed Fairywren Arakoon National Park Red-backed Fairywren (5) 2 males, 3 females at little Bay. Photographed. Birds observed from Trial Bay Gaol and from the walking track that goes from the gaol to bay and back, with a short diversion into a rain forest gully. Jenny Stiles
	Short-tailed Shearwater Arakoon National Park (Trial Bay) Approximately 30,000 Short-tailed Shearwaters resting offshore; periodically grouping and regrouping up and down shoreline from Macleay River mouth to Trial Bay; some trying to feed on bait fish. Maree Blewitt
Fri 8 Nov	Black-necked Stork Cattai Wetlands, near Coopernook The lagoon is full of flowering waterlilies at the moment & it was windy making it very tricky to spot Jacana. It is quite likely they were there somewhere! Black-necked Stork (1) Female Jenny Stiles
Tue 5 Nov	'Western Slopes Crimson Rosella' Camp Kurrajong, Mill Street, Wagga Wagga Adult bird observed in tree and on ground also from behind taking off in flight. [Moderator's note (NH): This bird was originally posted as an Adelaide Rosella, which should not occur in the Wagga Wagga area. However, there is the Western Slopes population of this rosella group, which is also a phenotypic intermediate between Crimson Rosella and Yellow Rosella (similar to Adelaide Rosella). For details on the complicated genetics see Joseph et al. 2008 Proc. R. Soc. B 275: 2431–2440: 'Ring-species hypothesis in rosellas.'] Sue Young

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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