Birdline New South Wales Weekly Update

Birdline New South Wales Published sightings for the week ending 5 Oct 2014. Sun 5 Oct Little Lorikeet Eulah Creek A small group of 5 Little Lorikeets was following Bullawa Creek uphill this morning (coming from the plains, flying towards the range), about 20 km outside the contiguous forest or woodland of the Nandewar Range. Usually I find Little Lorikeets only farther east, in the range or the wooded foothills. Their calls were recorded (“Further information” link). Michael Dahlem Regent Honeyeater,White-backed Swallow,White-winged Triller. Widden Valley,Upper Hunter Valley. 5 or 6 Regent Honeyeaters in the valley today but I think they must of abandoned there nest I didn’t notice any breeding activity also seen a White-backed Swallow and 2 White-winged Trillers. michael ronan. Red-backed Kingfisher Bimbi State Forest Whilst not a very uncommon bird for NSW, this one was seen at Bimbi State Forest west of Grenfelll on the western slopes. As such this appears to be somewhat less than ordinary. Seem in flight at eye level in an open area in Callitris and Box woodland. Large bill, greeny blue wings and reddish brown on body. I waited around for an hour or more hoping to see it again but no luck. Kim Farley-Larmour Pacific Baza Pacific Highway, Shark Creek One Baza in flight near Highway heading east, attacked by 2-3 Magpies. Greg Clancy Black Kite Hume Highway near Bowning Single bird gliding above road being mobbed by a pair of magpie-larks. Rodney Falconer Red-backed Kingfisher, White-backed Swallow Eulah Creek The two Red-backed Kingfishers are still present in the Bullawa Creek bed, near the big bridge at the Eulah Creek Road crossing. One bird was heard calling repeatedly (probably the male; on the right in the composite photo), the other was silent (probably the female, on the left, not calling in the photo). Two White-backed Swallows also still present (photo taken) and both Striated Pardalotes and Rainbow Bee-eaters inspecting nesting tunnels (photos taken). No sign of nesting activity of the Red-backed Kingfishers, though. Leaden Flycatchers and male Rufous Songlark were very active. Calls of the Red-backed Kingfisher/s were successfully recorded (see “Further information” link). Michael Dahlem Sat 4 Oct Rufous Fieldwren Silverton Rd 10km to Silverton from Broken Hill, New South Wales James and Surong Gunn Eastern Koel, Satin Bowerbird Coutts Crossing Village An adult male Koel was observed briefly flying past our house. I had a limited view of it but it gave a short burst of the typical Koel flight contact call to confirm its identity. This is my first record of this species this season. An adult male Satin Bowerbird was bathing in a dish of water at our back door. Yesterday it was mimicking the calls of the Australian Magpie (alarm call) and Wedge-tailed Eagle. Greg Clancy Square-tailed Kite Middle Dural, NW Sydney I flying low over tree tops West of Great Northern Road at 1pm Chris Gladwin Spectacled Monarch. lane Cove National Park.Whale Rock entrance. Got my first Sydney record of a Spectacled Monarch this morning I am.not sure whether this species has been recorded in Sydney before also watched a Black-faced Monarch catch a large dragon fly pull its head and wings off and eat the body.also 1 Rufous Fantail present and a few Leaden Flycatchers looking for nest sites.and a Pacific Baza eating a Green Tree-frog. (Moderator’s Note: Spectacled Monarchs are very rare in Sydney but are becoming more common. AKM) michael ronan. Rose-crowned fruit-dove (imm.) Caniaba, Lismore NSW Observed on hill in euc. woodland briefly surveying unfamiliar terrain while executing passage between open forest areas. paul griffin Painted Honeyeater, Plum-headed Finch Capertee Valley–Genowlan Bridge One Painted Honeyeater calling, and a trio of Plum-headed Finches in the brambles at the northern end of the bridge. Restless Flycatcher nesting and a pair of Little Eagles were also seen overhead. Nick Leseberg Turquoise Parrot, Black-chinned Honeyeater, Hooded Robin, Diamond Firetail Capertee Valley–Coco Creek Things are still pretty quiet in the valley, but there was a bit of activity around the bridge at Coco Creek, with the above species plus Yellow-tufted and Fuscous Honeyeaters. Nick Leseberg Fri 3 Oct Spotted Quail-thrush, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike Mogo Camp, Yengo NP on Settlers Rd between Bucketty and St. Albans A pair of Spotted Quail-thrush were foraging on the grass in the camp site and a White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike was feeding in the camp site trees. Other birds present included Yellow-tufted, White-eared, Yellow-faced and Scarlet Honeyeaters. Alan Morris & Allan Benson Gang-Gang Cockatoo, Powerful Owl, White-throated Nightjar, Grey Currawong Morton National Park – Wog Wog Campground Nocturnal birds quite vocal near the campground with Powerful Owl, Southern Boobook, Tawny Frogmouth and White-throated Nightjar all heard from tent. Also seen/heard early this morning were Gang-gang Cockatoo, Grey Currawong, Sacred Kingfisher & Scarlet Robin. Marc Anderson Blue-billed Duck, Freckled Duck, Plum-headed Finch Gum Swamp (Forbes) 10 Plum-headed Finches collecting Cumbungee seed heads and carrying it off, possibly nesting. 6 Blue-billed Ducks on the swamp (two pairs and one female still had a large chick with her). Quite a few Freckled Ducks. Warren Chad & Nick Leseberg Diamond Firetail, Turquoise Parrot, Hooded Robin Back Yamma SF Plenty of birds around Back Yamma this morning, with the above species the highlights. Nick Leseberg Southern Emuwren, Brown-headed Honeyater, Brown Quail Voyager Pt 1′ Cell A female Southern Emuwren carrying a grub and disapearing into a dense clump of heath possibly has a nest with chick(s); male calling close by. A few Brown Quails flushed from swampy heath. Single Brown-headed Honeyeater seen and calling. A few Rufous Whistlers and Sacred Kingfishers calling for 2nd week in a row. Golden Whistlers and Grey Fantails appear to have left, but a (late?) Fan-tailed Cuckoo calling (they’ve been quiet elsewhere locally this week). Single male Mistletoebird in full song. Resident Weebills and White-eared Honeyeaters conspicuous. David James Thu 2 Oct Little Penguin Chinamans Beach, Balmoral, Sydney 1 Little Penguin swimming around off rocks northern end of beach 3 p.m. Always nice to see them inside the Heads; probably not often seen in Middle Harbour. David Potter Red-backed Kingfisher, White-backed Swallow Eulah Creek Following the calls of a Rufous Songlark that I subsequently recorded, I stopped at the Bullawa Creek bridge and went a few hundred metres downstream. Apart from various more common birds (all of which were very active around 13:00), found a pair of Red-backed Kingfishers (only ever seen before in Walgett; see photo – also took a more distant photo of both birds together; possibly recorded their calls too) and a pair of White-backed Swallows hawking for insects above the dry creek bed (photo inset). Rainbow Bee-eaters and Striated Pardalotes are building nests in a vertical clay bank gouged out by the creek 1.5 years ago. Female Leaden Flycatcher and a very vocal group of Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes also present. Michael Dahlem Crested Shrike-tit Terrys Creek Parklands Near walking track of bushland, 40 metres north of Vimiera Park edge – Epping side of Terrys Creek. [Moderator’s note (NH): This is a ‘good’ bird for Sydney’s suburbia.] Irene Timmins Spotted Bowerbird, White-backed Swallow, White-fronted Honeyeater Round Hill NR Pretty tough going here as well, but a few good birds were found. A little eremophila in flower but not much, so the birds are pretty thin on the ground. Nick Leseberg Grey-fronted Honeyeater Nombinnie NR One Grey-fronted Honeyeater seen at the old wheat paddock site during a pretty tough morning. All the usuals were found including Chestnut Quail-thrush, Southern Scrub-robin, Shy Heathwren, Yellow-plumed Honeyeater and Gilbert’s Whistler, but things were fairly quiet. Nick Leseberg Painted Buttonquail Wilson Street, Botany, 2019 Decapitated Painted Buttonquail found on pathway, corner Wiggins St. Nearest suitable survivable would be Botany Golf Course, which is only a few hundred meters away. David Mitford Spectacled Monarch Ourimbah RTA Reserve Heard and seen about 100 metres from the entrance on left side on track (about 50 metres from the first bend) as we walked in. Still showing very well in same spot as we walked out. Other birds of note: Scarlet Honeyeater and Bassian Thrush. Allan Benson and Alan Morris Wed 1 Oct Rufous Whistler, Rufous Fantail, Leaden Flycatcher, Black-faced Monarch, Dollarbird Lane Cove National Park–Fairyland Lot of migrating birds which I don’t normally see around Lane Cove including Rufous Fantail, Leaden Flycatcher, Scarlet Honeyeater, White-cheeked Honeyeater, Black-faced Monarch and a first for the site, pair of Rufous Whistler. Also Olive-backed Oriole, Striated Heron, Dollarbird, Sacred Kingfisher and plenty of New Holland and Yellow-faced Honeyeaters. Fatih Sam Black-tailed Native-hen, Red-capped Plover, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Red-necked Avocet Cotton Farm, Ashley At least three Black-tailed Native-hens were observed running in open treeless farmland, the first since about January. About 30 Red-capped Plovers still remain (of the 50 that were found on 2 July) spread over 3 large irrigation farm dams in a 5km radius. 4 Sharp-tailed Sandpiper were observed, the first for the year. About 40 Red-necked Avocets are also still present. 2 Gull-billed Tern, 6 Caspian Tern and 90 Whiskered Terns were also found. Curtis Hayne Chestnut-rumped Heath-wren, Black-chinned Honeyeater Kings Plains National Park 2 Chestnut-rumped Heath-wrens showing well, 3 Black-chinned Honeyeaters Greg Roberts Channel-billed Cuckoo submissions August/September 2014 NSW We published the 10 first arrivals (including five August reports). All sightings of CBCs listed below are in accordance with the typical arrival dates of CBC in the region: 16/08/2014, Castlecrag, Sydney, Murray Lord; 16/08/2014, Minchinbury, L. Morgan; 17/08/2014, Middle Cove, Lorna Bloom; 18/08/2014, Terrigal, Jeff Drudge; 21/08/2014, Middle Cove, Lorna Bloom; 03/09/2014, Eulah Creek, Michael Dahlem; 05/09/2014, Balmain, Robert Griffin; 05/09/2014, Bundeena, Deryk Engel and Stephen Bloomfield; 07/09/2014, Kurrajong Hills, Eric Finley; 07/09/2014, Bicentennial Park (Glebe), Simon Gorta; 07/09/2014, North Epping, Frances Rein; 14/09/2014, Warriewood Wetlands, Jayden Walsh; 18/09/2014, Deep Creek Reserve, Narrabeen, Jacqui Marlow; 19/09/2014, Mulgoa, Tanja Van; 20/09/2014,South Grafton Water Reserve (Abattoir TSR), Greg Clancy & Alan Pilkington; 23/09/2014, Warriewood Wetlands and Irrawong Reserve, Jayden Walsh; 27/09/2014, Camden, Lydia Berger; 28/09/2014, Eastlakes golf course, David Mitford; 28/09/2014, Woy Woy, Greg and Georgina Shaw (photo); 29/09/2014, Penrith, Akos and Donata Lumnitzer. We decided not to publish any further in-season CBC sightings (except for unusual observations). Nikolas Haass (moderator) Tue 30 Sep Blue-billed Duck, Australasian Shoveler, Whiskered Tern, Musk Duck , Magpie-lark Little Llangothlin Natrure Reserve 2+ Blue-billed Ducks, 8+ Shovelers, 10+ Whiskered Terns and 2 adult male Musk Ducks. Also an albino Magpie-lark at lake edge with 2 normal coloured birds. Greg Clancy & Gould League Bird Study Camp Club members Little Friarbird, White-backed Swallow South of Bunnan, Upper Hunter Valley 3 Little Friarbirds at a site 5km south of Bunnan along Ridgelands Road. Uncommon in the Hunter Valley. Also several Diamond Firetails, Brown Treecreepers (with dependant young), vocal White-winged Trillers and Rufous Songlarks and 2x White-backed Swallows. Mick Roderick and Tom Clarke Speckled Warbler and Buff-rumped Thornbill Capertee Valley–Port Macquarie Rd Speckled Warbler and Buff-rumped Thornbill found at random spots along the road. David James and Dion Hobcroft Little Eagle, Restless Flycatcher Capertee Valley–Genowlan Bridge Nesting Restless Flycatcher (thanks to Carol Proberts) and a pair of Little Eagles at the Genowlan Bridge, but not the usual specialties there. Dion Hobcroft and David James Painted Buttonquail, Pallid Cuckoo Capertee Valley–Glen Alice Many platelets between the church and the river but we flushed just a single Painted Buttonquail. 1 Pallid Cuckoo calling, the only one we heard all day. One of very few Rufous Songlarks in the cemetery. Several Sacred Kingfishers in the red gums by the river. David James and Dion Hobcroft Diamond Firetail, Hooded Robin, Brown Treecreeper Capertee Valley–Crown Station Rd The Capertee Valley is not her usual self, with no flowering eucalypts or mistletoes. A single Diamond Firetail and a female Hooded Robin on Crown Station Road with several Brown Treecreepers, Jacky Winters, Fuscus Honeyeaters, Dusky Woodswallows. Dion Hobcroft and David James Double-barred Finch, Zebra Finch, Yellow-rumped Thornbill Capertee Valley–Glen Davis/Alice T-junction Double-barred Finch, Zebra Finch, Yellow-rumped Thornbill at Glen Davis. Dion Hobcroft and David James Freckled Duck, Pink-eared Duck, Australasian Shoveler Lithgow Wastewater Treatment Plant Two Freckled Ducks roosting separately on the right-hand shore of the 1st pond, 1 male, 1 female. About 100+ Pink-eared Ducks and 50+ Australasian Shovelers across the ponds. Plenty of Hoary-headed Grebes too. Dion Hobcroft and David James Australian Wood Duck – Large Brood Cowra Japanese Garden While walking around The Japanese Garden in Cowra I was surprised to see a pair of Australian Wood Ducks with a brood of 20 ducklings following them around. They appeared to be firmly imprinted on the adults and all at the same stage of maturity. [Moderator’s note (NH): According to HANZAB, the clutch-size is on ‘average10.5 eggs but large broods (17, 18) suggest probability of dump-laying.] Roger Giller Blue-billed Duck, Black-tailed Native-hen, Little Raven Lake Wallace, Wallerawang Following report by Tom Was report we found a shy male Blue-billed Duck near the kayak club jetty. A Single Black-tailed Nativehen on the grass along the track to the kayak club. A pair of Little Ravens with two fledglings just out of the nest in same area is a breeding record close to Sydney. Also 3 Whiskered Terns, 50 + Great Crested Grebes (many in breeding plumage, courting, and close to shore), plenty of Hoary-headed Grebes (distant) and several Musk Ducks also courting. David James and Dion Hobcroft Mon 29 Sep Grey Goshawk, Dollarbird, Scarlet Honeyeater Bellingen Island, Bellingen Grey morph Grey Goshawk perched in Small-leaved Fig: adult Dollarbird hunting in air from dead tree (observer’s first record for season); numerous Scarlet Honeyeaters heard and observed including a road killed adult male. Greg Clancy & Gould League Bird Study Camp Club members Latham’s Snipe, Red-kneed Dotterel, Black-fronted Dotterel, Black-winged Stilt Wetland on North Bank Road, Raleigh 5+ Latham’s Snipe loafing and foraging at edge of wetland; 2 Red-kneed Dotterels and 1 Black-fronted Dotterel foraging; 2+ Black-winged Stilts foraging. Greg Clancy & Gould League Bird Study Camp Club members Dollarbird, Black Bittern, Azure Kingfisher Ourimbah Creek, Ourimbah On a boat trip down Ourimbah Creek, I saw 2 Dollarbirds the first returnees for the Central Coast this year. Also seen a Black Bittern and a pair of Azure Kingfishers. Christina Port Brush Cuckoo Lower Pappinbarra First Brush Cuckoo for many months heard this morning. Ian Kerr White-breasted Woodswallow Kallaroo Rd, Bensville, 33ADEG29’44.7″S 151ADEG22’45.1″E One White-breasted Woodswallow seen perched on wires near jetty. Two others were seen in vicinity, before all three flew off. (Moderator’s Note: White-breasted Woodswallows are common summer migrants to the Central Coast and are found around the edges of Tuggerah Lakes, Brisbane Water and the Gosford coastal lagoons of Wamberal, Avoca and Cochrone Lagoons. They are present from August to April although the first birds returned this spring on 4/9/14 to McPherson Rd Tuggerah. By 15/9/14 they had appeared at most CC sites. AKM) Greg and Georgina Shaw Varied Triller, Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove, Wompoo Fruit-Dove Mungo Brush Rainforest Walk Varied Triller calling near the car park at the start of the rainforest walk at Mungo Brush this morning. This is a very southerly record for this species and is the southernmost location reported in the Hunter since the commencement of annual bird reports in 1993 (though some farther south records are noted in HANZAB). There were at least 4 Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves and we are confident there are a few more than that. Their calls were heard from a broad section of the rainforest at the location described by Josh et al on the 27/09 and dominated the call activity for a period of time. Also present were singles of Wompoo Fruit-Dove and White-headed Pigeon, several Topknot Pigeons, a few Regent Bowerbirds, Australian Figbirds and Green Catbirds (all feeding on Livistona australis fruit, though we did not see the RcFD feeding). Rufous Fantails and several Black-faced Monarchs are in as well. Mick Roderick and Dan Williams Australasian Bittern, Spotless Crake, Black-tailed Native-Hen Fivebough Swamp One Australasian Bittern, one Black-tailed Native-Hen and all three possible species of crake from the walking trails through the swamp. Plenty of other birds around including Glossy Ibis, Brolga and several Yellow-billed Spoonbills. Nick Leseberg Painted Honeyeater, Turquoise Parrot, Pink Cockatoo Binya State Forest One Painted Honeyeater, one pair of Pink Cockatoos and several pairs of Turquoise Parrots during a morning at several spots around Binya. Nick Leseberg Sun 28 Sep Pacific Baza, Australian Logrunner, Noisy Pitta, Crested Shrike-tit Mt Hyland Wilderness Retreat, Dundurrabin 1+ of all species heard calling. Greg Clancy & Gould League Bird Study Camp Club members Scarlet & Flame Robin, Chestnut-rumped Heathwren Mt Banks, Blue Mts National Park Pair of Scarlet Robins seen from road approx 150 metres from gate – the male was observed feeding the female. Pair of Flame Robins seen crossing road about 1500 metres from gate to some trees about 100m off the roadway and then returning. Chestnut-rumped Heathwren heard singing from track (not road) to summit about 200 metres from car park but was not seen. Tom Wilson Golden Whistler, Lewin’s Rail, Latham’s Snipe, Peregrine Falcon Eastlakes golf course The ‘wintering’ immature Golden Whistler still present near the Fairy Martin colony, a White-necked Heron also there, 1 Latham’s Snipe, 1 Peregrine Falcon flying over as was a Channel-billed Cuckoo and White-browed Scrubwrens feeding a freshly fledged Fan-tailed Cuckoo. Lewin’s Rail also heard calling. David Mitford Sat 27 Sep Sooty Owl, Australian Owlet-nightjar, Black-faced Monarch, Noisy Pitta Mt Hyland Wilderness Lodge, Dundurrabin Sooty Owl responded to playback at night; Owlet-nightjar heard on 25/26/27/29 & 30 Sep; Black-faced Monarch – first return at this site on Sep 27; Pitta recorded on Sep 24/28/29/30 & Oct 1 & 2. Greg Clancy & Gould League Bird Study Camp Club Wandering Albatross, Cape Petrel and Short-tailed Shearwaters Offshore–Wollongong pelagic Highlights of the Saturday SOSSA pelagic were 8+ Wandering and Antipodean Albatrosses, a single Cape Petrel a few km from shore on the way back and 3 Bar-tailed Godwits 17 km out. There were also good numbers of Shy, White-capped and Black-browed Albatrosses, as well as at least 1 juvenile Campbell Albatross. Other birds included 2 Providence Petrels, 2 Fairy Prions and a White-fronted Tern. Wedge-tailed Shearwater numbers were low <20, but the Short-tailed Shearwater migration has started, with 000's passing through. A full species list will be posted on the SOSSA website. [Moderator's note (NH): Cape Petrels - once a common bird on winter pelagics - have become extremely rare within the last two winters. The reason for this is at this point unclear.] Brook Whylie and all on board the Sandra K Topknot Pigeon Illawarra Escarpment State Recreation Area-Bulli Pass Over 100 Topknot Pigeons in flocks of varying sizes from 3 or 4 to close to 100. Paul Freeman Thu 25 Sep Pallid Cuckoo, Channel-billed Cuckoo, Grey-crowned Babbler Rushforth Road, north of Poley Bridge, Orara River One Pallid Cuckoo observed perched and then in flight; Channel-billed Cuckoo heard calling; 4 Grey-crowned Babblers foraging on ground. Greg Clancy & Gould League Bird Study Camp Club members Wed 24 Sep Flame Robin, Red-browed Treecreeper, Superb Lyrebird Chaelundi Road, Mt Hyland Nature Reserve Adult pair of Flame Robins in trees in Nature Reserve and foraging in logged and burnt area opposite, Red-browed Treecreeper observed in tree by Boyd Essex, Superb Lyrebird crossed road in front of vehicle. Greg Clancy & Gould League Bird Study Camp Club members