Birdline New South Wales Weekly Update

Birdline New South Wales Published sightings for the week ending 12 Oct 2014. Sun 12 Oct Brush Cuckoo, Black-faced Monarch, Rufous Fantail, Leaden Flycatcher Mitchell Park, Cattai This morning there were 2 Brush Cuckoos, a Black-faced Monarch, 3 Leaden Flycatchers, a couple of Rufous Fantails, Dollarbird, Rainbow Bee-eater, Sacred Kingfishers, numerous Scarlet Honeyeaters, and an Owlet-nightjar also heard. Edwin Vella White-winged Triller, Pallid Cuckoo Cattai National Park Lots of birds at Cattai NP this morning including a male White-winged Triller, Rainbow Bee-eaters, Sacred Kingfishers, Pallid Cuckoo, Dollarbirds, numerous Scarlet Honeyeaters and Mistletoebirds, Wonga Pigeons and Brown Cuckoo-dove, White-bellied Sea-eagle etc. Edwin Vella Topknot Pigeon Warwick Farm 10 birds seen at Georges River Warwick Farm. Michael Paul Little Grassbird Warriewood Wetlands In dense reeds in the main pond just off Shearwater Drive. Near the path between the first little pond and the second main pond. Very distinctive call. Heard only. David Vickers Baillon’s Crake Pitt Town Lagoon Highlight from a mornings birding at Pitt Town Lagoon were 3 Baillon’s Crakes. michael ronan. Sat 11 Oct Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Red Knot, Common Tern, White-fronted Tern Long Reef Aquatic Reserve The monthly count for the AWSG turned up a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and a Red Knot keeping each other company on the southern side of the reef while all the others (Red-necked Stints, Ruddy Turnstones, Sooty Oystercatchers, Pacific Golden Plovers) were on the northern side. Also a lovely comparative view of a White-fronted Tern and a Common Tern resting close to each other. Robert Griffin et al Superb Parrot Narrandera A surprise flyover by male Superb Parrot led to investigation of forested area west of town, where numerous birds were seen. Young appeared to be calling from several hollows.(Moderator’s Note: John, hardly surprising, it is a known nesting site! AKM). John Weigel Gang-gang Cockatoo, Rockwarbler, Leaden Flycatcher, Dollarbird Wollemi National Park–Wheeny Creek Campground A female Gang-gang Cockatoo and Rockwarbler seen and both a Dollarbird and Leaden Flycatcher heard. Edwin Vella and Follow That Bird Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Pitt Town Lagoon 5 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers with a number of Red-kneed Dotterels and some Pink-eared Ducks. Water level gradually coming down and hopefully good for shorebirds over the coming weeks. Edwin Vella and Follow That Bird White-winged Triller Inalls Lane, Richmond An adult male White-winged Triller seen beside the road Edwin Vella and Follow That Bird Regent Honeyeater Galgabba Point, Swansea (Lake Macquarie) On the same day that Swift Parrots were reported at Murrays Beach, a Regent HE has been found 2 km to the north at Galgabba Point (photos have been posted to the HBOC chat group). The Swift Parrots are very late-staying and the Regent HE record represents the first known Regent record on the east side of Lake Macquarie in spring that I can see from a quick skim of the RH database. An interesting situation. Lene Parashou per Mick Roderick Singing Honeyeater Lake Wollumboola Observed on southern end of the sand bar in casuarinas fringing the lake. An unusual sighting in NSW east of the divide. Narelle Wright Topknot Pigeon Angophora Reserve, Bilgola Plateau Saw no less than 136 Topknots in two separate groups (43 in the morning and 93 at about 6pm) fly from north to South at speed today. I could well have missed other groups while studying. From recent reports, it seems that the birds are on the move southward. The groups I am seeing are probably coming from the Central Coast area, being funnelled down the Northern Beaches peninsula as they move south. I would love to know where they are heading! Attached is a snap from my phone of the later group (93 individuals). Henry Coleman Swift Parrot Murrays Beach (Lake Macquarie) Some late-staying Swift Parrots are still at Murrays Beach, feeding on the blossom of Forest Red Gum. There were about 20 birds there on Tuesday, but numbers have dwindled since then apparently. Birds were heard this morning. Toby Lambert per Mick Roderick Fri 10 Oct Latham’s Snipe McPherson Road Swamp, Tuggerah Single bird seen from walking track. Michael Rutkowski and Bob Sinclair Great Crested Grebe, Musk Duck, White-bellied Sea-Eagle Quipolly Dams A visit to the Quipolly Dams near Quirindi today brought a few surprises. On the NEW dam there are at present at least 100 Great Crested Grebes (the photo shows just a small fraction of the total; I am still trying to mosaic photos to show at least about HALF the population, found in one group, together). At least 4 Musk Ducks (all male), plus various other aquatic species, including 100+ Black Swans and tens of Australian Pelicans, were also found, together with one adult White-bellied Sea-Eagle. For information: The OLD dam, which has silted up very badly, is completely dry and all aquatic bird species have left (probably to the new dam; small waders and water hens etc were too far from the public access area for identification). Michael Dahlem Barking Owl Cowan Bird flushed from a tree, calling as it flew and then calling again after landing. Location: On the GNW between Cowan and Berowra Waters, 400m from the Cowan side of Joe Kraft’s Creek. Peter and Carol Abbott Rainbow Lorikeet Queanbeyan Showgrounds A pair of Rainbow Lorikeets both inspected a hollow in a eucalypt and copulated vigorously. I’m not aware of them undertaking breeding activity previously Martin Butterfield Collared Kingfisher Brunswick Heads A Collared Kingfisher heard then seen adjacent the oyster shed in Marshalls Creek, Brunswick Heads Nature Reserve. My first for the Brunswick River estuary, although there has been a few other sporadic reports. Steven McBride Grey-tailed Tattler Lake Wollumboola Three Grey-tailed Tattlers foraging on floating weed mats in the north-east part of the lake. Matthew Jones Australian King-Parrot ‘Melliodora’ Denneys Lane Goulburn Two female Australian King-Parrots feeding on spilled seed with Crimson Rosellas. Both Australian King-Parrots kept their distance from the rosellas which showed dominance. This is the third sighting of this species in 14 years I have had at this site or near Goulburn in my own experience. Rodney Falconer Thu 9 Oct Plum-headed Finch, Spotted Bowerbird, Baillon’s and Australian Crake Warren Wetlands and Wastewater Treatment Plant Plum-headed Finch (20+ including juveniles), Baillon’s Crake (4), Aust. Crake (2), Spotted Bowerbird (1). Plenty of White-winged Fairy-wren, Cockatiel and Pink-eared Duck in the area. Nick Livanos and Grant Brosie Topknot Pigeon, Brown Goshawk Bicentennial Park (Glebe) 40 Topknot Pigeons observed incredibly high up, flying south at some speed. They were in two seperate flocks of 32 (very poorly pictured) and a trailing group of 8. Interestingly, the hundreds of birds that I observed at Hawks Nest recently all seemed to be moving south as well. Most of the reports from the mid-north coast of these birds have also indicated that these birds are flying south. Is there an annual pattern that these birds follow, some sort of migration, or are they just following/searching for fruit? At Hawks Nest, the Cabbage Tree Palms were fruiting all over the place which was presumably what attracted them, and probably the other fruit pigeons. A pair of Brown Goshawks were observed near the light rail stop. These birds can be seen regularly around here, specifically at dusk when both seem to fly into a nearby fenced-off area which I suspect may be a nest site. Simon Gorta Pacific Baza, Topknot Pigeon, Eastern Koel Angophora Reserve, Bilgola Plateau I have seen a pair of Pacific Baza around the area twice in the past month, only having seen them here once before about 2 years ago. Also, a group of 12 Topknot Pigeons has been around here for the past week, a species I have never before seen near Bilgola. Koels have been calling since 4th of October. Henry Coleman Wed 8 Oct Shy Heathwren, Gilbert’s Whistler, Black-eared Cuckoo Woggoon Nature Reserve, 30km nth of Condoblin Fantastic location. Shy Heathwren (1), Gilbert’s Whistler (1), Black-eared Cuckoo (1), Mulga Parrot (7), White-browed & Masked Woodswallows (100+) plus all the usual small, western passerines. Nick Livanos and Grant Brosie Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo Tottenham A single bird seen several km south east of town. Grant Brosie, Nick Livanos Black-tailed Godwit Lake Wollumboola Solitary Black-tailed Godwit wading near the edge of the lake at the sand bar. Narelle Wright Square-tailed Kite, nesting Yellow-throated & Large-billed Scrub-wrens Forest of Tranquility. Ourimbah Creek Rd Ourimbah Still in the rain, the members of the joint BNSW & CBOC outing had their final stop at the Forest of Tranquility rainforest. During the wet walk through the rainforest, the Yellow-throated Scrub-wrens were probably the commonest birds seen and 7 nests were counted although how many were active was not known. A Large-billed Scrub-wren was seen attending another YTSW nest, and these birds are known to take over un-used YTSW nests for their own breeding purposes. Scarlet Honeyeaters, Black-faced Monarchs and a Sacred Kingfisher were seen and a photograph was obtained of a distant Square-tailed Kite by Christina Port. Alan Morris & 29 CBOC & BNSW Members Regent Bowerbird, Topknot Pigeon Ourimbah Rest Area on the Pacific M1 Motorway. While waiting in the rain for the start at 8.30 am of the Central Coast Group, Birding NSW Outing to Ourimbah Valley, a group of 7 Topknot Pigeons flew over, at least 3 Regent Bowerbirds were seen, including an adult male that fed in a fruiting Wild Tobacco Bush that was alongside the Rest Area loop. The Regent Bowerbird was subsequently chased from the tree by 2 Green Catbirds, and Satin Bowerbirds were also present, 3 Brush Turkeys patrolled the rest area picnic grounds. Alan Morris & 29 joint CCG,BNSW & CBOC members Black-Faced Monarch Larool Creek Valley, Thornleigh One adult pair (seen together) and one bird without black facial markings (poorly marked female or immature?) where Wareemba Ave crosses Larool Creek, Thornleigh Lewis Benham Regent Honeyeater Nangahrah Bird Route (Barraba) 6 individual Regent Honeyeaters seen this morning. They comprised of a pair obviously breeding as they were feeding huge numbers of insects to a couple of nestlings. (picture attached) As we watched this feeding activity, 2 other adult Regent Honeyeaters ventured too close to the breeders territory and were agressively despatched. Len and Chris Ezzy Spectacled Monarch, Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, Regent Bowerbird Ourimbah RTA Reserve At least 2 Spectacled Monarchs, possibly 4 observed today, all calling loudly along the track in the RTA Reserve. Also observed were 2 Shining Bronze-Cuckoos. A male Regent Bowerbird was seen feeding in a Tobacco Bush at the rest area on the M1 Ourimbah along with a Green Catbird. Several flocks of Topknot Pigeons were seeing flying overhead. Jenny Stiles, Carol Abbott and Margaret Murray Tue 7 Oct Painted Honeyeater Dandaloo 10′ Cell 2 birds recorded feeding in mistletoe several km south of Dandaloo. Nick Livanos and Grant Brosie White-throated Needletail Illaroo Camp Ground, Yuraygir National Park, Minnie Water 8+ White-throated Needletails flying low as singles with only 2-3 observed at any one time ahead of unsettled weather and high cloud which virtually petered out later in the day. Greg Clancy & Russell Jago Spotted Quail-thrush Mount Kaputar National Park 2 Spotted Quail-thrush seen together about one kilometre west of the eastern locked gate of the Barraba 4WD track. According to the the Tamworth Bird Watchers brochure Bird Routes of the Tamworth Regional Council Area NSW, which we are using to find all the great birding areas around Barraba and Manilla, the Spotted Quail-thrush is consiidered VR (Very Rare). Anyway one flushed from in front of us as we drove at about 5kmph and the other hopped off to the side of the track and walked away quickly as we noticed it was carrying some stick insect in its beak. (Photographed for ID) (eBird Check list will follow when we get a chance with the intermittent internet coverages) Len and Chris Ezzy Diamond Dove Capertee National Park A single Diamond Dove was a nice find on the last of five days in the Capertee Valley/Dunn Swamp region. It was seen on the grassy flat below the Caretakers Cottage (not Capertee Cottage where we stayed) close by the two old water trucks. No photo but clearly saw the red eyering and spotted wings from a distance of about five metres. Listed as Rare for the area. Cameron Ward Brown Honeyeater Burley Street/Citrus Road, Griffith Heard at first, then observed at least three Brown Honeyeaters in gardens along Burley Street and Citrus Road. David Parker Painted Button-quail Blue Mountains NP – Portal Waterhole One bird flushed from next to the car park, and the low oom of another heard as I was trying to photograph the first. Uncommon in the Blue Mountains. Mark Ley Mon 6 Oct Plum-headed Finch, Little Woodswallow Private property 20 km West of Bourke While attending a wedding at Bourke over the weekend I found a little time for the birds. Recent rain has brought in the Woodswallows including White-breasted, White-browed, Little (2) and Masked. Other highlights were Crimson Chats, Brolgas (10), small flocks of breeding Budgerigars, Little Eagle, Diamond Doves, Australian Owlet-nightjar, Barn Owl and Plum-headed Finches. Warren Chad Brown Songlark Riverstone A male Brown Songlark was seen in a paddock off Park Rd Edwin Vella Azure Kingfisher, Topknot Pigeon Deep Creek Reserve, Narrabeen Flock of Topknot Pigeons feeding a fair way into Garigal NP. Azure Kingfisher seen along the creek. Others include Olive-backed Orioles, Golden Whistlers, White-throated Treecreepers, overhead White-bellied Sea-eagle and Channel-billed Cuckoos. 8-11am Mike Barrow Glossy Ibis, Mangrove Gerygone Bicentennial park, Homebush 2 separate Glossy Ibis seen – 1 immature at Northern Water feature, 1 adult on Bennelong Pond. 1 Mangrove Gerygone seen at Mason Park and another in mangroves near water bird refuge. Water bird refuge held 120+ Red-necked Avocet and 6 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. Tom Wilson Sun 5 Oct Pacific Baza, Dollarbird Warriewood wetlands and Irrawong Reserve Two Pacific Baza found thanks to help from Rae and then a walker who showed us the nest. Being harassed by magpies. Also saw our first two Dollarbirds for the season. Ann Millard and Peter Mackay Gang-gang Cockatoo Capertee National Park-Policemans Point Nice views of first a female and then a male Gang-Gang Cockatoo (photo attached) drinking from the Capertee River at the Policemans Point walk-in camping area. Lovely spot and full of birds, particularly compared to other well regarded places in the Capertee Valley visited over five days.Well worth the walk in and highly recommended, but be aware we had close encounters with both a large Brown Snake and a suspected Tiger Snake. Plenty of macropods and several wombats were a bonus. Cameron Ward, Janette Ward Sat 4 Oct Great-crested Grebe Lake Wollumboola x1 Great-crested Grebe foraging in the north-east part of the lake. First record for the lake and second for the local government area (bionet NSW). Matthew Jones Red-backed Kingfisher, Plum-headed Finch Bogee – Capertee Valley At Bogee, a little further from Glen Alice, I was surprised to hear then see a Red-backed Kingfisher which I have never seen in the valley before. This Kingfisher is already on the Capertee Valley bird list but is noted as a rare visitor to the valley. Other birds also seen at this exact spot included a group of at least 5 Plum-headed Finches (I had a hundred or so a few months back at this location), several Diamond Firetails, Rufous Songlarks, 3 Hooded Robins, Rainbow Bee-eaters, Rufous Songlark, White-browed Babblers and a dark-morph White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike. Edwin Vella Wood Sandpiper, Little Egret (melanistic?) Teven Rd Swamp Single Wood Sandpiper, approx. 200 Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, 4 Greenshank & 3 Curlew Sandpiper at Teven Rd swamp. Also a melanistic (?) Little Egret seen again today, first seen on 13/9. Attached phone photo taken on 13/9. Steven McBride Southern Whiteface, Channel-billed Cuckoo Glen Davis At Glen Davis there was a couple of Gang-gang Cockatoos, a pair of Little Eagles, a few Black-chinned and some Striped and Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters, a pair of adult Southern Whiteface with 2 young, Hooded Robins (a few quite vocal), Speckled Warbler, a female Painted Button-quail, Channel-billed and Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoos, Rainbow Bee-eaters, Sacred Kingfisher, Rufous Songlarks, Brown Treecreepers, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, several groups of White-browed Babblers, a group of at least 15 Zebra Finch, at least 5 Diamond Firetails and a Plum-headed Finch. Edwin Vella Scarlet Robin, White-winged Triller, Grey Currawong, Tree Martin, Chestnut-rumped Heatw Mt Banks, Blue Mountains National Park Good range of birds on the lower reaches of the Mt Banks fire trail. Extended views of pair of White-winged Trillers foraging on regenerating burnt heath slopes – have not previously seen this species in higher Blue Mtns. Also great views of a pair of Scarlet Robins, a single immature Chestnut-rumped Heathwren, 6 Tree Martins and a single Grey Currawong carrying food. Eric Finley Fri 3 Oct Southern Whiteface Capertee Valley–Glen Alice Rd Single Southern Whiteface on fencepost in roadside grassy vegetation, about a kilometre towards Glen Alice from the T-junction near Glen Davis. Rainbow Bee-eaters and Dusky Woodswallows where other birds of interest in this area. Cameron Ward