Birdline New South Wales Weekly Update

Birdline New South Wales

Published sightings for the week ending 19 Jan 2014.

Sun 19 Jan	Oriental Plover (Subject to submission to NSW ORAC) Sydney Airport 1 Oriental Plover was located at the SW corner of the third runway around 1900 this evening, approximately 100 m NW of where the October/November 2013 sightings were made. I searched for others in the grass nearby to no avail, and I'll get the opportunity to look again tomorrow afternoon. Photos and video were taken. Nigel Coghlan
	Pacific Baza Stingray Swamp, Penrose SF. A pair of Pacific Bazas seen well before being chased off by an aggressive Peregrine Falcon. Martin Filipczyk, John Shepherd
	White-winged Black Tern Ash Island, Hexham White-winged Black Tern (1), feeding over the pond on the left hand side of Wagtail Way. Only tern in the area. Julian Teh, Simon Gorta, Joshua Bergmark, Henry Coleman, Nathan Ruser, Max Breckenridge,Stanley Tang
	Wood Sandpiper, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Eastern Yellow Wagtail Hexham Swamp Nature Reserve Morning spent at Hexham, where we ran into Rod Warncock and Alan Richardson. Wood Sandpiper (1) found by Henry, Broad-billed Sandpiper (4) found by Josh and Max, Pectoral Sandpiper (1) Good identification photos taken, details gone through in depth with Alan Richardson (Alan found it). Eastern Yellow Wagtail (3) At least 3 birds, including (possibly) the Taivana bird. Found by Joshua. Julian Teh, Simon Gorta, Joshua Bergmark, Henry Coleman, Nathan Ruser, Max Breckenridge,Stanley Tang
Sat 18 Jan	Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Subject to submission to BARC) Hexham Swamp A Buff-breasted Sandpiper was initially found and photographed by Rod Warnock at around 9am on Saturday, 18th January, on Hexham Swamp, followed soon after by Christina Port (whose image is attached). People are out there again this morning (Sunday, 19th January) but it has not been relocated. The bird was apparently seen on the right side of the track (heading south) in one of the larger ponds, associating with Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. Please refer to the email I posted to Birding-aus on Wednesday regarding access to the site. A link to the archives is pasted below where you can read the email (select text and paste into your browser if link is broken) http://bioacoustics.cse.unsw.edu.au/birding-aus/2014-01/msg00244.html [Moderator's note (NH): If accepted by BARC (to me there is no doubt that it will be accepted!) this will be the 8th record for Australia: see 'Index of Case summaries' here: http://www.tonypalliser.com/barc/barc-home.html] Rod Warnock and Christina Port per Mick Roderick
	Whimbrel, Caspian Tern Long Reef Aquatic Reserve Monthly shorebird count led by Eduardo Gallo. Whimbrel (1) First sighting for me at this site. Flew off to the north. Caspian Tern (1) Jenny Stiles
	Baillon's Crake, Red-kneed Dotterel Partridge Creek, Fernbank Creek Road, Port Macquarie Single Baillon's Crake and Red-kneed Dotterel present. Tim Morris
Fri 17 Jan	Red-tailed Tropicbird, Black-browed Albatross north head manly. Highlight from a sea watch this afternoon was an adult Red-tailed Tropicbird and about 10 Black-browed Albatross but very few shearwaters. About 8 Wedge-tailed Shearwaters all afternoon. michael ronan.
	White-throated Needletail Bellawongarah - Irvines Road At 3:25 pm, 20+ WTNT were flying around for 15 minutes but possibly more as trees obscured full view. very warm with light breeze. Carla Jackett
	Eastern/Green-headed Yellow Wagtails Hexham Swamp Nature Reserve Two Yellow Wagtails observed this morning along the old pipeline access track a young bird and another sighting of the second adult form Mick Roderick photographed on the 10th of January. This bird is suspected to be the second bird of the subspecies taivana (previously known as Green-headed Wagtail) present (one has been confirmed). Although this bird ambiguously sports a white and yellow supercilium, the cap and cheek are olive green, which is consistent with the taivana subspecies. Hopefully, the bird will remain throughout the season till it attains a more complete breeding plumage and thereby confirming it's identity beyond doubt. Allan Richardson
	Ruff and Reeve and Broad-billed Sandpiper Hexham Swamp Nature Reserve Able to confirm beyond doubt that there are at least two Ruff using Hexham Swamp this summer. Ruff and Reeve (female Ruff) foraging on access track this morning with Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. Very low water this morning and perfect conditions very early for foraging Sharp-tailed, Curlew, Marsh and a single Broad-billed Sandpiper. Allan Richardson
	Australian Owlet Nightjar Berry Mountain At 12:15am, an Australian Owlet Nightjar was seen standing on the road in a rainforest area on Kangaroo Valley Rd. Berry Mtn (Kangaroo Valley end). Have never heard or seen one in this area/habitat before, only the drier western side of KV. Got out of car to take photo but flew off. Carla Jackett
Thu 16 Jan	Australian Hobby Glebe 1" Cell One Australian Hobby seen well flying over the foreshore walk near the bottom of glebe point road at 7pm. I occasionally observe them in Glebe. Simon Gorta
	Little Raven, Bell Miner, Nankeen Night Heron Warriewood Wetlands Little Ravens seen calling near Katoa Close end; my first for Northern Beaches. Night heron flushed nearby. The "one note call" bell miner appears to be back at Garden St end. Didn't see the bazas. Carl Weber
	Western Gerygone, Red-rumped Parrot Plough & Harrow, Abbotsbury 'Western Warbler' Jim explained upon hearing a single burst of its diagnostic song. The parklands were quiet bird-wise but noisy cicada-wise, when we returned to the area the Western Gerygone confirmed its presence: It sang three more times but remained unseen despite our best efforts to locate it. Later, I noticed a one-legged female Red-rumped Parrot and watched in dismay as her partner became entangled in some rubbish (composite photo attached). Its sad watching wildlife suffer as infrastructure creates the Western Sydney Carparklands. Mark Fuller, Jim Dixon
Wed 15 Jan	Banded Lapwing and Ground Cuckoo-shrike Narrabri A flock of 30 Banded Lapwing, including juveniles observed on private property around a small farm dam off Yarrie Lake Road near Narrabri. A flock of six Ground Cuckoo-shrike observed over Yarrie Lake road. Kurtis Lindsay
	Black-necked Stork Pambalong Nature Reserve Single Black-necked Stork in pond south of old railway at 3 pm. Frightened off by vehicle towing away cut branches. Flew to pond near car park. Still there when I left at 4 pm. Michael Rutkowski
	Freckled Duck, Glossy Ibis McPherson Road Wetlands, Tuggerah Several Freckled Duck on the shoreline, mixed in with teal. Four Glossy Ibis feeding in a small dam just across the road from the main wetland. Max Breckenridge
	Plum-headed Finch Queensland Road wetlands, Casino A good day for finches with 4 Plum-headed Finches, good numbers of Chestnut-breasted Mannikin, Red-browed Finch and Double-barred Finch. Mannikins nesting. David Charley
	Black-eared Cuckoo Gosling Creek Reservoir, Orange One juvenile cuckoo observed this morning near the hide. Cuckoo with black stripe through the eyes, no barring on breast; buff underpants grey dorsal plumage barring on the tail. Larger than a bronze-cuckoo. This is the first time I have observed this species in Orange or district. Alastair Smith
	Pectoral Sandpiper, Ruff Hexham Swamp Nature Reserve Two Pectoral Sandpipers and a single Ruff observed this morning at Hexham Swamp. Birds were observed resting, preening and foraging with continuing good numbers of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers and Curlew Sandpipers. Allan Richardson
	Red-necked Avocet, Australian Pratincole, Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Little & Cattle Egret, Terns Cotton farms, Ashley Terns were in abundance, especially over irrigation: about 500 Whiskered Terns were found (an incredible number of this common species; 280 birds are shown in the photo), as were about 120 Gull-billed Terns, about 50 Caspian Terns and about 5 Silver Gulls. All of these Terns are ''common'' excluding the Silver Gull but were found in incredible numbers. A Black Swan, 2 Australasian Shovelers, about 400 Pink-eared Ducks and about 50 Hardheads were also present. Cormorants were also in abundance: about 350 Little Blacks, 300 Pieds and 150 Greats. An extraordinary number of 800 plus Australian Pelicans were also observed within only two irrigation dams. Herons were also in abundance - about 60 White-faced and 50 White-necked as were Egrets - about 50 Greats and 10 Intermediates and even Spoonbills - about 150 of each Royal & Yellow-billed. 3 Little Egrets and a Cattle Egret were also spotted as were 20 White & 10 Straw-necked Ibis. 5 Wedge-tailed Eagles and an immature White-bellied Sea-Eagle were also observed. 100 plus Red-necked Avocets were observed, all in one shallow irrigation dam, the largest flock I've ever seen. Nearby were about 150 Black-winged Stilts feeding with Common Greenshanks and Marsh Sandpipers. 6 Australian Pratincoles were also spotted which were observed in shallow pools in a low irrigation dam and in broadacre cotton fields. 2 Australian Hobbies were spotted which have been scarce for a while. A pair of noisy Horsfield's Bushlark was spotted. Also a Rufous Songlark was heard calling which have been absent this spring/summer. A Singing Honeyeater, Budgerigars and Tawny Frogmouths are still present in the village of Ashley. Curtis Hayne and Ainslee Lines
Tue 14 Jan	Pectoral Sandpiper, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper Hexham Swamp 1 Pectoral Sandpiper, 1 Broad-billed Sandpiper, 51 Marsh Sandpiper. Michael Kearns
	Emerald Dove, Wompoo Fruit-Dove, White-throated Needletail, Fork-tailed Swift Comboyne Road, Byabarra Emerald Dove and Wompoo Fruit-Dove flew over the site in the morning and in the afternoon ~50 WTNT and 2 FT Swifts were feeding high above the ridge. The swifts appear almost resident at the moment in the Port Macquarie area. I see them most mornings near the coast and suspect they then move up into the adjacent ranges as the day heats up, unless there is a change in the weather. Tim Morris
	Superb Lyrebird, Buff-banded Rail, Pacific Baza Irrawong Reserve. 2 Superb Lyrebirds feeding together, appear to be juvenile females with extreme rufous under chin. Overall appearances are reminiscent of Alberts Lyrebird with far greater colouring of rufous rather than grey. Also seen Buff-banded Rail with 3 well grown and marked chicks, the 2 now fully fledged Pacific Bazas are still frequenting the vicinity of the nest. David Simpson
	Little Friarbird, Painted Honeyeater, Striated Pardalote ssp substriatus, White-browed Woodswallow North-west of Scone, Upper Hunter Valley Little Friarbird and Painted Honeyeater seen on private property north of Scone. There is mistletoe flowering (Amyema miquellii I think) which may have attracted these birds. Many Noisy Friars also feeding on the mistletoe flowers, as were 4 White-browed Woodswallows, which included a juvenile bird. There was a group of race substriatus Striated Pardalotes in the same place as well. Common Bronzewing nest-building and a pair of unidentified button-quail flushed from grassy woodland on a rocky slope (numerous Brown Quail in the area). Adult Spotted Harrier also seen in the area. Mick Roderick and Tom Clarke
Mon 13 Jan	Black-chinned Honeyeater Capertee Valley (Crown Station Road) Black-chinned Honeyeater (4) 2 juveniles with an adult and another adult feeding in the same tree. Photographed. Jenny Stiles, Jillian Nolan and Simon Gorta
	Painted Honeyeater, White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Diamond Firetail Capertee Valley (Genowlan Bridge) Painted Honeyeater (2) Male and female seen very well jumping around in the casurinas. Also White-bellied Cuckooshrike (1) and a few Diamond Firetails. Simon Gorta, Jenny Stiles, Jillian Nolan
	Australasian Darter Capertee Valley (Genowlan Road) Australasian Darter (1) Male on dam to the left of the road visible from about 100m along the road towards the bridge but also from various other points along the road. Didn't realise it was a new for site! Simon Gorta, Jenny Stiles and Jillian Nolan
	Southern Whiteface, Hooded Robin Capertee Valley (Glen Alice Road) Southern Whiteface (5) Observed well and photographed where the budgies were seen on the CBOC outing in early 2013. Trying to figure out coordinates for the spot. There was a dam on the left facing Glen Alice and two large trees on the right with a fence on which the whiteface perched. Hooded Robin (2) also observed further along, a pair. Simon Gorta, Jenny Stiles and Jillian Nolan
	Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo, Black-chinned Honeyeater, Painted Honeyeater, Diamond Firetail Capertee Valley (Crown Station Road) Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo (1) Heard but not seen. Black-chinned Honeyeater (4) two adults attending fledged but still apparently dependent young. Painted Honeyeater (1) Heard distantly. Diamond Firetail, 8 or 9 birds observed. Simon Gorta, Jenny Stiles and Jillian Nolan
	Painted Honeyeater Capertee Valley (Coco Bridge) Painted Honeyeater (1) Heard and eventually observed near the bridge. Simon Gorta, Jenny Stiles and Jillian Nolan
	Red-browed Treecreeper, Wedge-tailed Eagle Capertee Valley (Glen Davis Road) Red-browed Treecreeper, at least two birds calling but couldn't be located. In the well forested areas with gullies near the road. Photographed them nearby last trip which was a few months back. Also seen were Wedge-tailed Eagle (3) Simon Gorta, Jenny Stiles and Jillian Nolan
	Little Eagle Capertee Village Little Eagle (1) flying around and landing in a tall gum across the valley facing down Glen Davis Rd from the town. Simon Gorta, Jenny Stiles and Jillian Nolan
	Pacific Baza Warriewood Wetlands A pair in the canopy feeding on cicadas Geoff jones
Sun 12 Jan	Red-browed Treecreeper, Pilotbird Blue Mountains National Park (Pierces Pass) Red-browed Treecreeper (1) heard and seen on the track to the picnic area about 100m from the picnic area. Also seen and heard at the picnic area were Pilotbird (2) Simon Gorta, Jenny Stiles and Jillian Nolan
	Banded Lapwing, Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo Richmond Lowlands 41 Banded Lapwings counted in the fields on either side of the palm trees on the turf farms, good to know the numbers are still high. Some only metres away from the road. One Shining Bronze-Cuckoo and one Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo also observed, apparently new for the site. Simon Gorta, Jenny Stiles and Jillian Nolan
	Square-tailed Kite, White-throated Needletail Telfer Way Reserve, Castle Hill Square-tailed Kite (1). Photographed (composite). White-throated Needletail (5). Flying south about 20 - 30m above the ground. Simon Gorta, Jenny Stiles and Jillian Nolan
	Red-necked Avocet Cochrone Lagoon, McMasters Beach A small group of 5 birds are present on Cochrone Lagoon, a rare visitor to the Central Coast. First reported on 5/1/2014 by a birder from Bathurst, subsequently seen by Laurie Smith on 12/1/2014 who notified other birders. There are over 300 Grey Teal, 250 Chestnut Teal, 30+ Swans and 12 Stilts and many Coots on Cochrone Lagoon which is now very shallow and drying out. Still there on 13/1/14. Alan Morris
	Bar-tailed Godwit, Red Knot Boat Harbour, Kurnell A great afternoon considering the amount of people on the reef. Highlights were; Bar-tailed Godwit, Red Knot, 5 Little Terns and 2 Grey-tailed Tattlers. Mark.Young
	White-tailed Tropicbird, Sooty Tern Pelagic off Port Stephens 2 juvenile/immature (2nd year?) White-tailed Tropicbirds were the highlight of yesterday's Port Stephens pelagic. The birds were very similar to the bird seen off Sydney in April 2011. Attached photo by Allan Richardson. A Sooty Tern was seen in the same location, 1.2 miles short of the shelf. At the shelf we had another 2 adult Sooty Terns and 3 Grey-faced Petrels. Otherwise fairly quiet due to lack of wind (first PS trip ever without a storm-petrel). One Long-tailed Jaeger and 3 Hutton's Shearwaters on way out too. Unusually for January at Port Stephens we had 3 spp. of Albatross (Wandering, Shy and Black-browed). Mick Roderick and 13 others
	Little Bittern Rocky Waterholes Narrandera Heard calling 8pm Nella Smith
	Budgerigar Intersection of Waterfall Way and Pacific Highway at Raleigh, near Urunga Approximately 20 Budgerigars flying as a flock. A record from very close to the coast. Gary Phillips via Richard Jordan
Sat 11 Jan	Pacific Baza Lachlan St Baradine A single Baza came to the bird waterbath in the garden of 7 Lachlan St Baradine, the home of David Johnston. Conditions are very droughtified in Baradine at present. This is well west of the usual range of Pacific Bazas. David Johnston per Alan Morris

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