Birdline New South Wales
Published sightings for the week ending 30 Nov 2014.
Sun 30 Nov Pacific Emerald Dove Waterfront Sanctuary Point
Saw a pair of Pacific Emerald Doves come from a large tree. She
disappeared into the undergrowth below our trees and appeared with
several twigs in her beak. Eventually dad appeared and they drank out
of the bird bath. I took many photos of them I have lived here since
1989. Have never sen them before in the basin. [Moderator's Note: A
rare bird in the Jervis Bay region, so an excellent breeding record!
JB]
Paul Johnson
Pacific Baza, Rainbow Bee-eater, Common Bronzewing, Brush Cuckoo
Fernances Crossing Rd Murrays Run
The Central Coast Group of Birding NSW had an outing yesterday to
Murrays Run, Laguna and Wollombi, and the best birds were seen along
the private road, Fernaces Crossing Rd. We were there by invitation and
the production of our PL Insurance. We went to see nesting Pacific
Bazas, but the single young had left the nest on 28/11/14 although the
parents were seen by the owners before we arrive. The nest site was the
same as last year. Other good birds were 2 Rainbow Bee-eaters, 4 Common
Bronzewings, Shining Bronze, Brush, Fan-tailed, Koel and Channel-billed
Cuckoo, Leaden Flycatchers and Sacred Kingfishers. 44 species seen in
9-1100 hrs.
alan Morris & 24 other observers
Little Curlew Hexham Swamp Nature Reserve--Old Pipeline Track
2 birds initially observed then flying to join a further 4. Foraging
and loafing on saline deteriorating Phragmites clumps with Black-winged
Stilts and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. Observed for about half an hour
from around 7:15am. [Moderator's Note: All sightings of Little Curlew
should be reported to NSW ORAC. JB]
Steve Roderick and Allan Richardson - joined by three others.
Magpie Goose Mehi River, Moree
The Magpie Geese numbers had increased every day and was special to
find 100 birds together over the past few weeks. The water level of the
Mehi has gone up very high in the last couple of days. Almost the whole
population has left within a few days. A total of just 8 Magpie Geese
were found yesterday and today.
Curtis Hayne
Plumed Whistling-Duck, Shining Bronze Cuckoo, Pacific Koel Terry Hie
Hie
200 Plumed Whistling Ducks, together with about 200 Wood Ducks were
found in wheat stubble. If the Whistling Ducks hadn't been calling,
they would have gone unnoticed. Another 50 Plumed Whistling Ducks were
found along the creek. This species has not been as common this year so
an unusual find. A male Koel heard calling, first for the season. A
Shining Bronze Cuckoo was heard calling in cypress pine scrub, ID
confirmed after listening to its recorded call. Also found were 2
Cattle Egrets and an Azure Kingfisher which haven't been sighted for
several months.
Curtis Hayne
Sat 29 Nov Orange Chat Hexham Swamp (Hunter Wetlands National Park) -
Old Pipeline Track
A female Orange Chat was photographed on the main access track in
Hexham Swamp (-32 51 8 / 151 41 2) yesterday afternoon by Greg Pearson.
The bird was apparently on its own (though Greg made a count of 32
White-fronted Chats elsewhere on the swamp). It was only seen briefly
before flying off. It has not been relocated today despite extensive
searches (including many people out there looking at the Little
Curlews, which are being seen only 500m from the OC sighting). A
remarkable record, considering there doesn't appear to be any evidence
of an influx or irruption elsewhere in NSW. In fact, I can't find
records of Orange Chats in NSW away from the Tibooburra area since 12
Jan 2013 when AKM reported 4 birds at the Lake Cargelligo poo ponds.
There are historic records of birds in the Merriwa area (Upper Hunter)
with the most recent being (ironically enough) of a single bird on
29-30 Nov 1979. The record will be reviewed by the Hunter Bird
Observers Club Records Appraisal Committee. There are currently many
1000's of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers using Hexham Swamp again, with at
least 2 Pectoral Sands being seen amongst them. Conditions are looking
great for a productive summer out there.
Greg Pearson per Mick Roderick
Red Knot Sydney Olympic Park--Waterbird Refuge
Single Red Knot present in late afternoon with three Sharp-tailed
Sandpipers, possibly one of the birds present at Hen and Chicken Bay
the day before. Only my second record of Red Knot at SOP.
Dion Hobcroft
Rufous Fantail, Little Egret Nepean Weir
Flew across river from west to the eastern side in clear view this
morning about 9:30am and perched a short while. Never in the eight
years I've been coming here have I seen this species at the weir. Also
a Little Egret present downstream from weir.
Akos Lumnitzer
Fri 28 Nov Red Knot Hen and Chicken Bay 1' Cell
Four Red Knots were a good turn up in Hen and Chicken Bay. A single
bird at Roberts Rd, Cabarita and three at Halliday Park. Was hoping to
find the Grey-tailed Tattler reported at Sydney Olympic Park but no
luck with this,
Dion Hobcroft
Red-Collared Lorikeet (banded) Beecroft NSW
This escapee flies with a flock of rainbow lorikeets. He has chosen a
Rainbow as his mate. We have seen him over the past 6 weeks and he
feeds in the Lilly Pilly trees on our verandah also in the Rondaletia
shrub when it was flowering, he was there most days. (Moderator's Note:
An obvious escapee and normally we would not publish but it is a good
photo for education purposes. AKM)
Dianne Donovan
Australian Brush-turkey Mt Kembla (Illawarra Escarpment)
A brush-turkey was seen by a friend in her yard at Mt Kembla. This is
at the very southern extent of their regular range. She tells me they
are regularly seen around the area.
Ashwin Rudder per anon.
Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo Warriewood Wetlands
A single Horsefield's Bronze Cuckoo seen well this morning for about 5
minutes halfway along the track in a Cheese Tree
Jayden Walsh
Thu 27 Nov Long-billed Corella Ophir Road, Rock Forest
A pair of Long-billed Corellas flew into a Ribbon Gum by the road,
perched and squawked for a bit before flying off in an easterly
direction. Have not seen this species in the region before.
Coordinates: 149 20 43 E, 33 21 2.2 S.
Tiffany Mason
Tue 25 Nov Fork-tailed Swifts Moree
Hundreds and hundreds of Fork-tailed Swifts around the township.
Curtis Hayne
Lesser Frigatebird South Ballina beach.
While watching the waders on South Ballina beach this morning a female
Lesser Frigatebird cruised slowly north just outside the breakers.
michael ronan
Red-necked Avocet, Whiskered Tern, Black-tailed Native-hen, Magpie
Goose Narrabri Lake
Narrabri Lake is shallow now, drawing in a few bird species that are
not seen there regularly. A single Red-necked Avocet is a first for me
(in 8 years), a Whiskered Tern in breeding plumage (not seen since
September 2010) and at least two Black-tailed Native-hens (last seen
there May 2013) were found today (see composite photo). There are still
about 45 Magpie Geese around (down from ca. 80 previously) and there
are at least 50, maybe 100 pairs of Cattle Egrets and Australian White
Ibis nesting on the bird refuge island (photos taken).(Moderator's
note: I am unaware of any recent Cattle Egret nesting colonies in
inland NSW other that occasionally in the Macquarie Marshes, in recent
times. AKM)
Michael Dahlem
Fork-tailed Swift Lyndale Ave, Port Macquarie
Approximately 5 Fork-tailed Swifts and similar number of White-throated
Needletails present.
Tim Morris
Mon 24 Nov Black-necked Stork, Red-necked Avocet, Red-necked Stint
Geoffrey Rd North Chittaway, part of Tuggerah Bay, Tuggerah Lake.
An immature Black-necked Stork was seen early this morning by Ella De
Jong, who reported the sighting to me. On inspection I found that there
was a Stork feeding with 280 Black Swans, 19 Red-necked Avocets ( a
very rare bird for this location), 97 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, 24
Black-winged Stilts, 14 Red-necked Stints, 80 Grey Teal, 9 roosting
Caspian Terns and sundry other waterbirds on this section of Tuggerah
Bay. This would be the first time a Stork has been recorded in this
area for at least 16 years.
Alan Morris, Ella De Jong, photo by Andrew Melville
Grey-tailed Tattler Sydney Olympic Park
Grey-tailed Tattler on barge in Parramatta River just north of
Waterbird Refuge.
Jeffrey Byron
Sun 23 Nov Square-tailed Kite Shoplands Road, Annangrove
Single adult harassing a Grey Butcherbird along the ridgeline. Seems as
though Annangrove may now be part of the home range of a pair of
Square-tailed Kites given the several sightings of adults and a
juvenile at my block this year.
Darryl Smedley
Powerful Owl Balmoral Beach, Mosman
Immature Powerful Owl roosting in one of the fig trees overhanging the
walkway that runs immediately behind Balmoral Beach, about midway
between the baths and the bridge crossing to the grassy atoll.
Seemingly not perturbed by the thousands of beachgoers (it was about
3PM) nor the harassment of a Pied Currawong followed by two Australian
Magpies, the latter being what bought my attention to the owls
presence. Poor quality photo attached from my compact camera.
Cameron Ward
Caspian Tern, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Striated Heron Narrabeen Lakes
Whilst paddleboarding on the lagoon on Sunday, 4 Caspian Terns were
spotted on the sandbank at the western end near the golf course. Also
roosting in a tree nearby a White-bellied Sea Eagle. Striated Heron
spotted on the bank on the northern shore next to Wakehurst Parkway
foraging.
Mike Barrow
Hooded Plover Meroo National Park at 35 28 55S 150 23 20E
Two banded Hooded Plovers seen this morning along the beach. Could not
be located when I returned with binoculars to read the bands.
Joshua Bergmark
Scarlet Robin, White-winged Triller, Wedge-tailed Eagle Six Foot Track,
Megalong
Interesting to watch (from a distance) 2 Wedge-tailed Eagles going
after a small Wallaby (record photo attached). Was horse riding so only
briefly noted 2 Scarlet Robins, 2 nesting Dusky Woodswallows, 1
White-winged Triller, 1 Jacky Winter, 2 Sacred Kingfishers, 1
White-throated Gerygone and scores of other little birds.
David Vickers
Sat 22 Nov Fork-tailed Swift 39 Charlton Street, Nambucca Heads, NSW
2448
Good numbers of Fork-tailed Swifts hawking over Charlton Street on
Saturday evening 6.30 PM 22 November. (I haven't learned to count
swifts reliably: when there are singles and small groups hawking about
= a small number; seemingly all over the sky in one strata level = a
good number; when the sky is full of them at several altitudes = a
large number.)
Evan Cleland
Sooty Owl Cedar Creek [via Ruined Castle]
Called twice in vicinity of the large overhang [Cedar Cave] at 489 597,
8 p.m. Lots of skulls of as yet unidentified fine-toothed creatures on
'cave' floor. There were also large numbers of Black-faced Monarchs
calling incessantly along the creek [not, clearly, contributing to the
pile of skulls!]
Ted Nixon
Wed 19 Nov Glossy Black-cockatoo Pambula-Merimbula Golf Course
Saw two Glossy Black-cockatoos feeding in a she-oak next to the
thirteenth hole
John Nicholson
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