Birdline Australian Capital Territory Weekly Update

Birdline Australian Capital Territory Published sightings for the week ending 19 Oct 2014. Thu 16 Oct Swamp Harrier Kellys Swamp Flew across Dairy Rd (flight style a harrier giveaway and clear white rump for Swamp). Scared the daylights out of every duckon the Swamp. Martin Butterfield Little Bittern Cook At approx 12.30 today a Little Bittern was flushed from beside our garden pond. At a guess it was about 25 cms in length with a brownish rather than black crown. Buff below with a brown streak down the throat and upper breast. The lores were yellow and the bird was not as dark as male Little Bitterns we have seen. We think it was likely an adult female. It flew up into our apple tree and then took refuge (with bill pointed skywards) in a dense shrub. Noisy Miners arrived in some numbers to harass it but soon lost interest. We have several more photos. Kim and Geoff Larmour Wed 15 Oct White-winged Black Tern Fyshwick Sewage Treatment Plant An adult White-winged Black Tern in non-breeding plumage was present with 3 Whiskered Terns in breeding plumage mostly over pond 3a at the Fyshwick Sewage Treatment Plant from 13:00 to at least 16:00. The birds were readily viewed from Dairy Flat Road. [Moderator’s comment: this is the first ever record of the species for the ACT] PJ Milburn