Birdline New South Wales Weekly Update

Birdline New South Wales Published sightings for the week ending 26 Oct 2014. Sun 26 Oct Black-tailed Native-Hen Lake Wallace One Black-tailed Native-Hen with Eurasian Coots and Dusky Moorhens in the reed-lined cove south of the main loop road on the lake’s western side. Also displaying male Musk Duck and a female Musk Duck with young. Nick Leseberg Red-necked Stint Long Reef Aquatic Reserve Banded Red-necked Stint seen with other Stints Mark Young Australasian Figbird Eulah Creek This afternoon I caught a brief glimpse of the red eye patch of a male Australasian Figbird in our garden, 20 km East of Narrabri. It had a go at our mulberries and disappeared before I could get a photo. This species usually does not come out of the ranges; so far I have seen them this far West only once (two immature birds at the time). Michael Dahlem Sat 25 Oct Barking Owl, Yellow-plumed Honeyeater, Black-eared Cuckoo, Gilbert’s Whistler, Turquoise & Superb P. Back Yamma State Forest Barking Owl, Yellow-plumed Honeyeater, Black-eared Cuckoo and Gilbert’s Whistler were amongst the more surprising species we located in the lead up to, and during, the twitchathon. Also many Turquoise Parrots and Superb Parrots hanging around. Joshua Bergmark, Ashwin Rudder, David Rudder (Fly By Nightjars) Spotted Quail-thrush Mogo Camp Yengo NP A male Spotted Quail-thrush walked around the picnic area, in the open, at midday. Yellow-tufted, Brown-headed, White-eared Honeyeaters, along with Noisy Friarbirds were present. Carol Abbott Northern Royal Albatross (subject to NSW ORAC submission), Black Petrels and Wandering Albatrosses Offshore–Wollongong pelagic Highlights of todays SOSSA pelagic included a Northern Royal Albatross (which stayed with us for 3 1/2 hours), 2 Black Petrels and 20+ Wandering/Gibson’s Albatrosses. Other birds sighted, Providence and Great-winged (Grey-faced) Petrels, Campbell, Black-browed and White-capped Albatrosses, 1 Flesh-footed, a few Hutton’s and Fluttering Shearwaters. Numbers of Wedge-tailed and Short-tailed Shearwaters were high as well. We also had 20+ Wilson’s Storm-petrels, 2 Arctic and 1 Pomarine Jaeger, along with the regular species. [Moderator’s note (NH): Sightings of Northern Royal Albatross should be submitted to NSW ORAC.] Brook Whylie and all on board the Sandra K Wonga Pigeon, Large-billed Scrubwren, Black-faced Monarch Robertson Nature Reserve 3 Wonga Pigeons calling. Also present: Brown Cuckoo-dove, Large-billed Scrubwren, 3 Brown Gerygones, Shining Bronze-cuckoo and Black-faced Monarch. Lorne Johnson Common Cicadabird Macquarie Pass National Park One Common Cicadabird calling late arvo. Other birds of note: Brown Gerygone, Brown Cuckoo-dove. Lorne Johnson Fri 24 Oct Whistling Kite, Swamp Harrier, Australian Pelican Bundanoon township 1 Whistling Kite over dam at Shangri-la Rd. It got into a fight with a Swamp Harrier. An Australian Pelican was on the dam. Whistling Kite and Australian Pelican are new birds for my Bundanoon list, now bringing the total to 172 species. Lorne Johnson White-throated Needletail, Brush Cuckoo Caniaba, Lismore NSW About 15 WTNT flying east in a group at 9:00am. Single WTNTs have been sighted over the past week. This plus the direction of the group indicate they are resident in the general area and were on a feeding patrol, probably to one of the coastal NPs, returning later to somewhere west, possibly in the Casino area. This speculation is based on last year’s observations when a group was seen daily flying east. Also seen Brush Cuckoo courtship feeding: adult male Brush Cuckoo feeding a barred adult female. The male was chasing flying insects, probably tiger moths. [Moderator’s note (NH): Thanks to Rohan Clarke for commenting on Brush Cuckoo courtship feeding and barred adult female Brush Cuckoos.] paul griffin Latham’s Snipe Wetland/dam just to W of Spring Crk Resevoir, Orange 3 Latham’s Snipe; 2 seen along edge of first dam on private property to W of reservoir, the third just beside the road on western side of the bend before getting to headwaters of reservoir. First sighting for me in Orange this season. Rosemary Stapleton White-winged Triller, Little Lorikeet, Glossy Black-Cockatoo Burrawan Forest Drive (south), Port Macquarie Two singing male White-winged Trillers. Little Lorikeets feeding in flowering Scribbly Gum and 2 Glossy Black-Cockatoos. Tim Morris Red-backed Kingfisher, White-backed Swallow Eulah Creek Both pairs, Red-backed Kingfisher and White-backed Swallow, are still present downstream of the Bullawa Creek bridge (Eulah Creek Road). There are now definitive signs of breeding activity (composite photo). The Red-backed Kingfishers have been observed again defending their territory. Along a 200-m section of creek bed no other kingfishers are permitted, but at least 4 more species have been found to be nesting: Striated Pardalote, Leaden Flycatcher, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Noisy Friarbird. One of the White-backed Swallows (the only tunnel-nesting swallow species in Australia) was also seen diving down to the carved-out creek bank, but was obscured from view while on the ground for only about 10 seconds. They had been observed showing territorial behaviour earlier (previous report from the same location). Michael Dahlem Thu 23 Oct Regent Honeyeater Nangahrah Bird Route Two fledgling Regent Honeyeaters being fed by two adults observed on the 23rd October at the same location previously reported on the 8th (#220155) and 19th (#220347), likely the same individuals. Adults were feeding in a flowering Grey Box. Peter Hancock and Ben Martin per. Kurtis Lindsay Black Petrel Offshore–Sydney Pelagic Avian highlight of a Wings charter off Sydney today was a single Black Petrel which stayed around the boat for at least 20 minutes feeding on the slick. Cetacean highlight was a pod of 40 Short-finned Pilot Whales which we found sleeping on the surface about 2 NM east of Brown’s Mountain with a pod of more than 200 Oceanic Bottlenose Dolphins actively hunting all around them. Also 7 Wandering Albatross, 2 Campbell Albatross, 20 Wilson’s Storm Petrel, and a Caspian Tern (inshore). Roger McGovern and the Wings group Superb Lyrebird Elanora Heights A male Superb Lyrebird walking through the reserve next to my house. I have lived here for 30 years and this is the first one I have seen [Moderator’s note (NH): Superb Lyrebirds are commonly seen at nearby Irrawong Reserve]. David Robert Ronald Wed 22 Oct Barking Owl Murranar Rd, Towradgi Barking Owl calling for approximately 30min at about 845pm in Eucalypt in urban backyard. Only 30m away but couldn’t access for a good look due to private property David Bain Little Corella Sherwood/Dondingalong boarder, West of Kempsey Flock of 35 Little Corella flying west at 6.45pm. Only the second recording of this species at this property in over 10 years. Alastair and Karen Smedley Caspian Tern Deeban Spit, Port Hacking Caspian Tern noted 8:00am at end of Deeban Spit, high tide. Standing with Silver Gulls, Crested Terns, Pied Oystercatcher and Eastern Curlews. Julie Keating Tue 21 Oct Terek Sandpiper Lake Wollumboola Single Terek Sandpiper seen on the sand bar about 9:00 probing for food with Red-necked Stints and Red-capped Plovers. Narelle Wright Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove Mungo Brush Rainforest Walk An adult male seen clearly within a group of at least 2-3 flighty Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves. Although they were only seen once in the late morning, they could be heard regularly. Andrew Walker Black-faced Monarch, Dollarbird Irrawong Reserve One pair of Black-faced Monarch and Dollarbirds. Plus other common birds at this location. Chris Melrose and Brian Downer White-headed Pigeon, Sacred Kingfisher Greenwich – Gore Creek 7.15. a.m.: a White-headed Pigeon and Sacred Kingfisher in the mangroves at the mouth of the creek, the former being much the more unusual visitor to the area. Ted Nixon Mon 20 Oct Dollarbird Boambee Bay Reserve, Sawtell Seen in the gums above the reserve late afternoon. [Moderator’s note (NH): We published the 23 first arrivals (first record of the season was 21st September). We decided not to publish any further in-season Dollarbird sightings (except for unusual observations).] natasha stuart White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Black-winged Stilt Black Lake, Bibbenluke Huge bird flew out of eucalypt, scaring daylights out of a raft of ~300 Eurasian Coot. Grey wings, white belly made it clearly an adult White-bellied Sea-Eagle. eBird has no records in this area although common on the coast 60 km East. 26 Black-winged Stilt feeding on margin of Lake. Martin Butterfield Brown Honeyeaters Kyeemagh 2 Brown Honeyeaters feeding in the bushes on the Muddy Creek side of St George Football Stadium Oliver Williams Sun 19 Oct Curlew Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Great Knot, Red Knot, Lake Wollumboola The shorebirds are trickling in to their regular haunts on the south coast and I was pleased to two Curlew Sandpiper amongst the flock of Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Great Knot and Red Knot on the weekend. Matthew Jones Turquoise Parrot, White-throated Gerygone, Rainbow Bee-eater, Rufous Songlark, White-winged Triller Nattai National Park, High Range, GPS: 34.159S, 150.136 E 2 Turquoise Parrots in 3 different locations (suspect it was the same pair), 1 singing White-throated Gerygone, Rainbow Bee-eater – one pair always in same location, 1 singing Rufous Songlark, 1 White-winged Triller. Kaye Varlow Dollarbird Nepean Weir, Penrith Victorian observer noticed uneven circling flight pattern and bright colored bill. Bird was on western side of river around 12.20pm. Photo taken. John Daniels Little Grassbird Bundanoon One bird calling by dam near Shangri la Rd mid-afternoon. It’s been a while since I’ve heard one here. Other birds of note: Australian Reed-warbler, 2 Australasian Pipits, Golden-headed Cisticola, 14 Hardhead, 10 Hoary-headed Grebe, Latham’s Snipe and a lone Gang-gang Cockatoo. Lorne Johnson Brush Cuckoo Bullawa Creek, 30 km East of Narrabri Yesterday there was at least one Brush Cuckoo at the upper (wooden) bridge across Bullawa Creek, 30 km East of Narrabri (go to “Further information” link for sound recording”). This is the first time I have found a Brush Cuckoo in the Narrabri area, but I admit that – prior to finding the species in the NT recently – I was not familiar with their calls. No visual or photo ID. Michael Dahlem Sat 18 Oct Painted Honeyeater Private Property about 26km NW of Cowra on Lachlan Valley Way Painted Honeyeater seen in isolated Ironbark adjacent to one of the Cowra Woodland Bird survey sites by three surveyors Rosemary Stapleton, Lesley Hook & Gillian Hogendyk Eastern Ground Parrot, Southern Emu-wren, White-throated Needletail Bosches Waterhole Road, near Sandon Road, Yuraygir National Park One Eastern Ground Parrot flushed from heath, 1 Southern Emu-wren observed in low shrub and 3+ White-throated Needletails low over heath. Greg Clancy & members of Clarence Valley Birdos White-throated Needletail S of Red Cliff, Yuraygir National Park 2+ White-throated Needletails in flight low over heath and road. Greg Clancy Thu 16 Oct Emerald Dove Eastern Dorrigo Way, West of Coramba Emerald Dove on roadside. Greg Clancy, Mary & Jack Wyatt, Sue & Jerry Miller Paradise Riflebird, Topknot Pigeon, Crested Shrike-tit, Shining Bronze-Cuckoo Dorrigo National Park–Visitors Centre Paradise Riflebird heard calling, Topknot Pigeons in roadside trees between Visitors Centre and the Glade Picnic Area, Crested Shrike-tit and Shining Bronze-Cuckoo at Walk with the Birds. Greg Clancy, Mary & Jack Wyatt, Sue & Jerry Miller Brush Cuckoo, Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo Thora Brush Cuckoo heard calling, Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos in flight. Greg Clancy, Mary & Jack Wyatt, Sue & Jerry Miller Grey Goshawk, Black-faced Monarch, Sacred Kingfisher Boggy Creek near Thora Grey morph Grey Goshawk in tree, adult Black-faced Monarch in roadside vegetation and two Sacred Kingfishers on powerlines. Greg Clancy, Mary & Jack Wyatt, Sue and Jerry Miller Wed 15 Oct Long-billed Corella East of Coutts Crossing Adult Long-billed Corella perched in nest tree (Cabbage Gum – Eucalyptus amplifolia ssp. sessiliflora). Greg Clancy & Mary & Jack Wyatt Australian Pied Oystercatcher Munro Island, Lawrence Adult pair of Australian Pied Oystercatchers. One sitting on nest. Greg Clancy & Mary & Jack Wyatt White-throated Needletail, Freckled Duck, Pink-eared Duck, Australian White Ibis Lawrence Egret Colony swamp 2+ White-throated Needletails high over the wetland, 10+ Freckled Ducks, 30+ Pink-eared Ducks, 12+ nests of Australian White Ibis with small to medium sized young. No egret breeding yet. Greg Clancy & Mary & Jack Wyatt Little Bronze-Cuckoo, Red-backed Fairy-wren Mantons Road, Lawrence Adult female Little Bronze-Cuckoo foraging in tree. Adult male Red-backed Fairy-wren in trees and grass nearby. Greg Clancy & Mary & Jack Wyatt Peregrine Falcon South of Lawrence Adult Peregrine Falcon perched in nest tree. Greg Clancy & Mary & Jack Wyatt Pink-eared Duck Alumy Creek, N of Grafton 70+ Pink-eared Ducks on creek. Greg Clancy & Mary & Jack Wyatt Pink-eared Duck, Grey Teal, Hardhead South Grafton Settling Ponds, Rushforth Road, South Grafton 9 Pink-eared Ducks on pond with Grey Teal and Hardhead. Greg Clancy & Mary & Jack Wyatt Pallid Cuckoo Brothersons Swamp, Coutts Crossing One Pallid Cuckoo flew east from fence post near wetland. Greg Clancy & Mary & Jack Wyatt Magpie Goose, Plumed Whistling-Duck Dam NE of Coutts Crossing 5 Magpie Geese and 30+ Plumed Whistling-Ducks at dam. Greg Clancy & Mary & Jack Wyatt Sat 11 Oct Singing Honeyeater Lake Wollumboola Spotted 3 or 4 Singing Honeyeaters in casuarinas fringing the SE shore of the Lake. (Moderator’s Note: This is a very unusual record but not the first time that a Singing Honeyeater has been found on the Coast. AKM) Narelle Wright Wed 8 Oct Bar-tailed Godwit Lake Wollumboola 30+ Bar-tailed Godwits seen late in the afternoon wading in the shallows. Attached is a photograph of adult female Bar-tailed Godwit. Narelle Wright