Birdline New South Wales Weekly Update

Birdline New South Wales

Published sightings for the week ending 8 Jun 2014.

Sun 8 Jun	Pink-eared Duck Milperra 2 Pink-eared Ducks this afternoon on Kelso Pond in Milperra. My first observation of this species locally. Strange because all the usual ducks and other waterbirds have abandoned this pond recently, presumably due to toxicity. David James
	Australasian Shoveler, Hoary-headed Grebe, Little Eagle, Australian Hobby Lieutenant Cantello Reserve, Hammondville Highlights from a couple of hours at Lieutenant Cantello Reserve in Hammondville (Liverpool LGA) mid morning: Australasian Shoveler, Hoary-headed Grebe, Little Eagle, Australian Hobby David James
	Providence Petrel, Cape Petrel, Great-winged Petrel, Campbell Albatross north head manly. Some more good seabirds from north head today including 2 Providence Petrels, 2 Cape Petrels, 10 Great-winged Petrels and 2 Campbell Albatross. michael ronan.
	Swift Parrot Murrays Beach Lake Macquarie Single Swift Parrot calling while flying through canopy of Forest Red Gum, Ironbark and Swamp Mahogany - observed late afternoon. Chris Slade
	Spangled Drongo Chiltern Trail, Ingleside Good views of Spangled Drongo in large eucalypts at start of long decline to McCarrs Creek. Peter Diegutis
	Pacific Baza Private property, Howard Rd, Minto Heights Seen eating a preying mantis or stick insect. Mobbed by Noisy Miners. Richard Gardner
	Fuscous & Brown Honeyeaters, Little Lorikeets Water treatment ponds, Warriewood Wetlands About 10-12 Fuscous and 2 Brown Honeyeaters seen hawking for insects over the first treatment pond (surrounded by chain link fence), The latter were a bit smaller, had much more pronounced curve on dark bills, no yellow plume and a yellow tick behind the eye. Birds were feeding together with lots of Yellow-faced and White-cheeked Honeyeaters. 4 Little Lorikeets seen in a flowering Swamp Mahogany nearby. No sign of the Noisy Pitta at the cabbage tree palms; Topknot Pigeons heard in the area surrounding the Pitta site. Tom Wilson
Sat 7 Jun	Little Eagle, Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Little Lorikeet Milperra A single light morph Little Eagle and continuous small groups (2-10) of Little Lorikeets over my yard near Riverlands Golf Course today. Flocks of Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos heard at dawn and dusk. These are the first for ages, so I'm thinking they've come down from the mountains? David James
	Rainbow Bee-eater Susan Island, Grafton 3+ Rainbow Bee-eaters at south-eastern end of Island. Greg Clancy
	Swift Parrot Kurrajong Hills Pair flying over garden to nw at about 1530. Just after sunset a flock of 16 flew north over tennis courts at Kurrajong Heights. my second and third local records in 16 years. Eric Finley
	Common Diving-Petrel, Sooty Shearwater Mistral Point, Maroubra Distant feeding activity produced : 30+ Fairy Prions, 2 Brown Skuas, 30 Black-browed Albatross, 3 Shy Albatross, 1 Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross, 1 Sooty Shearwater and a Common Diving-Petrel. David Mitford, Ray Gobbe and Fiona Brooke
	Buller's Albatross, Campbell Albatross, Fairy Prion, Giant-Petrel north head manly. Good day for seabirds at north head today with at least 14 Giant-Petrels, and 1 close in Campbell Albatross, 2 Buller's Albatross, 10 Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross 20+ Shy Albatross and about 40 Fairy Prions. michael ronan.
	Emu Bushland nr Wakehurst Parkway, Sydney A fresh trackway of Emu footprints were seen on a minor trail near Dee Why West Recreational Reserve. Council records indicate that emus have escaped from a farm near Oxford Falls Grammar School and have been breeding in the bushland between Wakehurst Parkway and Red Hill for some time. Bruce Cox reported in 2002 that he had found breeding birds in Red Hill Reserve, and there have been rare, though occasional sightings since then (mostly by trail-bike riders through the area). From this it is likely the population is a self-sustaining feral population (though there used to be emus in this area before European settlement) and has been for at least 12 years, this would make these birds tickable. Nathan Ruser
	White-headed Pigeon Oxford Falls Rd, Sydney 7 White-headed Pigeons total seen feeding on privet near Oxford Falls Grammar School. Four adult and three juvenile, including at least one recently fledged (pin feathers on the head) which would indicate breeding nearby. Very approachable and seemed not to mind me within a few metres of them. Is this the first breeding record for the Northern Beaches? Nathan Ruser
	Freckled Duck The Old Dam at Bada Cres Dolphin Point Ulladulla After spending an hour waiting for the Lewin's Rail, and me being new to the area local Birdo Bob decided to show us a few local spots. So the first stop was a small dam with a small amount of Ducks on it, fortunate for us, 4 were Freckled Ducks and it seems they are very unusual and have been accounted for in this area prior to this. Charles Dove - Bob Rusk
	Lewin's Rail Lions Park - Burrill Lakes Ulladulla Lewin's Rail thought to be a Buff Banded at first so little attention noted, just a couple of quick pics by one of the group, after getting home and downloading the Photos realized it was a Lewin's Rail. One should not be to complacent sometimes. I have been back a number of times but with heavy rain since the original sighting - no show. great Photo by Terry Edwell. Believed to be a new bird for the area Charles & Janina Dove - Terry & Mark Edwell - Silvia & Dave Garlic - Barbara & Brian Puffin
Fri 6 Jun	Grey Goshawk Pacific Highway, Fernbank Creek, near Port Macquarie Grey morph Grey Goshawk flew over highway and landed in eucalypt. Greg Clancy & Laura Slade
	Little Eagle Byarong Creek 3.30pm Little Eagle, pale morph seen perched in large gum tree east side of Byarong Crk. Flew off and circled drifting north on the southerly breeze. The white morph Grey Goshawk was present again today also on the east side of Byarong Crk near same location as yesterday. Google maps gives the co-ordinates as -34.451906, 150.860184 & the suburb as Spring Hill, but locally would probably be referred to as the east boundary of Figtree. Photos taken with DSLR today thanks to much better weather. Paul Lynch
	Great-winged Petrel, Fairy Prion and Sooty Shearwater Mistral Point, Maroubra At last some winter birds today: 3 Brown Skuas, 1 Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross, 20+ Black-browed Albatross, 3 Giant-Petrels, 2 Sooty Shearwaters, 2 Fluttering Shearwaters, 25+ Fairy Prions and 8 Great-winged Petrels (all looked like macroptera). Nearly all the birds seen in the last hour of daylight. David Mitford
	Little Eagle Western Sydney parklands, Horsley Park soaring all over western syd parklands for a few hours Damian Gobbo
	Grey Goshawk and Australian Hobby Lake Cathie, Tallong Drive A Hobby was seen to be harassing flocks of Scaly-breasted and Rainbow Lorikeets that were feeding in flowering Forest Red Gums. Nearby was a Grey Goshawk that was being harassed by a pair of Spangled Drongos. No Swift Parrots seen at this site where they were observed three weeks before. Other birds present included Eastern Spinebill, Grey Fantail, Lewin's Honeyeater and Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike. Alan Morris
Thu 5 Jun	Rufous Scrub-bird, Superb Lyrebird Crown Road off Hastings Forest Way, Willi Willi National Park Two Rufous Scrub-birds heard singing simultaneously. Three Superb Lyrebirds with unusual musical call (possibly flute call of New England birds). Greg Clancy & Laura Slade
	Grey Goshawk Byarong Creek White morph Grey Goshawk seen twice today morning & afternoon perched on elect-lines east of M1 Princes Motorway near Byarong Crk, between Figtree & 21 Dump. Google map co-ordinates -34.451906, 150.860184 & lists the suburb as Spring Hill. Photo is still shot from video taken at 4.30pm in the rain. Paul Lynch
Wed 4 Jun	Sooty Oystercatcher Dobroyd Head, Sydney Harbour Single Sooty Oystercatcher flew from a rock platform just north of Dobroyd Head across the water to the vicinity of the wonderfully named Smedleys Point. First time I have seen this species inside the Heads in 15 years of fishing the harbour. Darryl Smedley
	Grey Goshawk Glasshouse Rocks Beach, Narooma White morph Grey Goshawk perched on a dead tree above the beach - stunning in the sunlight! Unfortunately didn't have a good camera to get a decent shot. Also two Sooty and two Pied Oystercatchers; one of the Sooty Oystercatchers had grey legs, so possibly a young bird. Co-ordinates: 36 13 42S, 150 08 32E. Tiffany Mason.
	Little Eagle Milperra Single light morph Little Eagle soaring over my yard, before drifting off over former Riverlands Golf Course David James
Tue 3 Jun	Swamp Harrier Red Point Port Kembla While whale watching at Red Point, Port Kembla 4.30 pm I was surprized to see this Swamp Harrier low over the ocean. It appeared to be heading back in after a visit to Big Isand. Weather was clear with off shore winds gusting up to 30 km/h. Paul Lynch
	Regent Honeyeater Chiltern Trail, Ingleside At least 2 Regent Honeyeaters seen around 15.50 in the same location as previous reports. Jill Rossiter & Sue Casson
	Emerald Dove Pappinbarra On the ground beside the road just before the church at 11:30 this morning. Seen an hour later at the same place. Ian Kerr
	Wedge-tailed Eagle Milperra 2 Wedge-tailed Eagles over the former Riverlands Golf Course were being chased by about 40 Australian Ravens David James
	Barking Owl Taronga Western Plains Zoo Discovered a Barking Owl by the gibbon lake half way through a meal of Noisy Miner. He was given away by all the honeyeaters mobbing him. Andrew O'Brien
	Black Bittern, Nankeen Night-Heron Deep Water Park Milperra An adult Nankeen Night-Heron roosting in she-oaks on the island in the first (larger) tidal pond. 1 adult female Black Bittern perched in the top of a mangrove at second (smaller) tidal pond at about 10:30. David James
Mon 2 Jun	Peregrine Falcon Telstra tower, Grafton Adult perched on horizontal arm of dish. Known nest site. Greg Clancy
	Little Lorikeet, Musk Lorikeet, Dusky Woodswallow Kelso Park, Moorebank About 30 Little Lorikeets feeding with about 10 Musk Lorikeets in 3 planted Lemon-scented Gums (Corymbia citridora) amongst remnant River-flat Forest. A flock of 15+ plus Dusky Woodswallows around Anzac Ck. David James
	Little Lorikeet, Musk Lorikeet Milperra Pairs and small flocks (up to 6 or so) of Little Lorikeets feeding in flowering Mugga Ironbark (Euc. sideroxylon) scattered around the suburb. Many more Musk Lorikeets in the same trees. The ironbarks are apparrently remnants of Cumberland Plain Woodland, though they may be planted David James
	Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Noisy Pitta Lower Pappinbarra At least 6 Wompoo Fruit-Doves were seen together this morning, the most I have seen here. The Noisy Pitta has been heard calling each afternoon about 20 minutes after sunset. Ian Kerr
	Powerful Owl Woodfield Ave, Bundeena One bird heard calling at 12.45 o'clock. Hung around for about half an hour. Deryk Engel
Sun 1 Jun	Eastern Rosella Sydney Olympic Park Close to the BirdLife Discovery Centre, I found an Eastern Rosella, an unusual bird in the Park. I did not find the Noisy Pitta today. Eduardo Navarro
Thu 29 May	Buff-banded Rail Isaacs Lane, Johns River 1 adult crossed road Greg Clancy & Laura Slade
	Square-tailed Kite Crowdy Head Road, N of Harrington Adult gliding low over canopy and road. Greg Clancy & Laura Slade
	Blue-billed Ducks (11) , Australian Shoveler, Pink-eared Duck, Freckled Duck, Whistling Kite Tallawarra Ash Pond 3, Yallah Amazing views of 5 male Blue-billed Ducks, 2 females and 4 juveniles plus 43 Australian Shovelers, 40 Pink-eared Duck, 1 Freckled Duck and several raptors including Whistling Kites at the nest. A shame the land this pond is situated on is for sale. David and Michelle Rower, Terry Edwell and Nerida Hudspith.
Mon 26 May	Square-tailed Kite Kenny Close, Bellingen Two Square-tailed Kites low over houses, one an immature the other's age not determined. Greg Clancy & Laura Slade

Birdline New South Wales is sponsored by Birding NSW, Birdlife Southern NSW and Cumberland Bird Observers Club and hosted by Eremaea Birdlines.

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