Birdline Australia
Published sightings for the week ending 8 Dec 2013.
| Wed 4 Dec | Blue and White Flycatcher Home Island, Cocos Keeling Islands This bird was first seen in the trees in front of Oceana House on 3/12/13 by Richard Baxters group. It was still there on 4/12/13 when I saw it in the morning. Pam Jones |
| Tue 3 Dec | Little Ringed Plover Broome Sewage Ponds, Western Australia Now 2 birds present. Adrian Boyle, Rowan Mott and Maarten Hulzebosch |
| Sun 1 Dec | Chinese Sparrowhawk Home Island, Cocos Keeling Islands A Chinese Sparrowhawk was seen and photographed on Home Island on the 1st and 2nd December. When in flight it called constantly and was harassed by White Terns. Photos show that it was an juvenile/immature individual. Pam Jones |
| Mon 25 Nov | Black-breasted Buttonquail (Subject to submission to NSW ORAC), White-eared Monarch, Noisy Pitta Mallanganee National Park, 35 km west of Casino, New South Wales 3 Black-breasted Buttonquail (2 females and 1 male, all adult birds) early this morning in Mallanganee National Park. Also 2 White-eared Monarchs and large numbers of Noisy Pittas. [Moderator’s note (NH): BBBQ is listed as Critically Endangered in NSW (Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (NSW), September 2013). In NE-NSW, BBBQ is restricted to the Northern Rivers and Tablelands (Marchant & Higgins 1993). There have been only 10 confirmed records from NSW in the past 20 odd years, all from six areas in the far north-east (Garnett & Crowley 2000; Milledge & McKinley 1998). In NSW the species is found as far south as the Walcha-Yarrowitch area and near Dorrigo (Smyth & Young 1996). BBBQ should be submitted to NSW ORAC] [Update (NH): Martin Schulz just told us that between 1993 and 1998 he regularly encountered the BBBQ and feeding signs in Mallanganee NP] michael ronan. |
| Sat 23 Nov | Beach Stone-curlew Port Albert, Shire of Wellington. South Gippsland., Victoria Rohan Bugg located a Beach Stone-curlew at Port Albert. The bird was seen and photographed at Port Albert (14 km south of Yarram). To find the bird, you will need to turn right in to Old Port Foreshore Rd, at Port Albert, proceed to the end of the road where the caravan park is situated, walk on the beach towards the south. The bird was seen approximately a half to a kilometre away. I think it would be wise not to disturb the bird by approaching it too closely, so that it will hopefully stay for some time to be admired by many. Rohan Bugg, per Maarten Hulzebosch |
| Cox’s Sandpiper Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria Seen on South Rd, west of 85W pond just the west side of the cattle grid. With the initial view I thought it was a Pectoral Sandpiper because of its longer bill & when it flew it gave a Budgie-like call. It later landed on the road in front of the car and provided excellent views & photos in which it was revealed as a Cox’s Sandpiper. It’s bill was much longer and more decurved than in a Pectoral Sandpiper & mostly black with a faintly paler olive base to the lower mandible. The plumage was marked much like a Pectoral, but with less heavily defined dark streaking. Breast band was strongly at the sides, but lacked the V at bottom of the band. Head pattern much like Pectoral. Legs were pale olive-yellow, not bright at all. When it flew it had a black line through the rump, and wingbar was broader than in Pectoral Sandpiper. The features probably closer to Pectoral Sandpiper, but bill shape, length colour, less strongly marked patterning and lack of V at apex of breast all point to a hybrid between Pectoral & Curlew Sandpiper. More photos can be provided if needed. Kevin Bartram, Merv Marsh |
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