Birdline New South Wales Weekly Update

Birdline New South Wales Published sightings for the week ending 28 Oct 2014. Tue 28 Oct Caspian Tern Iron Cove, Leichhardt, inner west, Sydney A single Caspian Tern foraging over shallows of Iron Cove in front of Leichhardt Pool. Occasionally reported further west around Homebush, but first I’ve seen in many years of running around Iron Cove Andrew Taylor Grey Goshawk Streeton Lookout, Freemans Reach Grey Goshawk seen flying south toward river 7pm this evening Mike Felstead Sacred Kingfisher Bellevue Hill – Sydney Dead Sacred Kingfisher. Oscar Arnott Mon 27 Oct White-browed, Masked Woodswallows and Rose-crowned Fruit-doves Myall Lakes National Park–Mungo Brush 3 mixed flocks of White-browed & Masked Woodswallows, 10-30 birds in each. Location is around 800 m from the beach. Also Rose-crowned Fruit-doves still present. [Moderator’s note (NH): Interesting mix of dry inland and rainforest species near the beach!] Steve Roderick Black Kite Hoskinstown Plain Reported by a reliable neighbour. Largish raptor with a forked tail. Dark undersides and dark brown on top. Followed the baler for a long period. This is the first I have heard of for this area although a few are reported each year from the nearby ACT. Martin Butterfield Red Knot Deeban Spit, Port Hacking Red Knot foraging alone by waters edge around 1.30 in afternoon. Julie Keating Little Bronze-Cuckoo Tamarind Close, Richmond Hill, 8 km east of Lismore One Little Bronze-Cuckoo heard calling this morning. The usual 4 note descending call plus 2 of the trilling calls. This is the second Little Bronze-Cuckoo for Oct. in our garden. June Harris Sun 26 Oct White-winged Triller Hastings River Valley White-winged Trillers have arrived on the north coast with the dry weather and were present throughout the Hastings Valley during the Twitchathon at Forbes River, Byabarra, Rosewood Road and Fernbank Creek Road. The Ninja Pigeons (Tim, Drew and Frederik Morris) Pacific Baza Anchorage Caravan Park, Iluka Adult Pacific Baza sitting low on nest in Flooded Gum. Black-necked Stalkers (Greg Clancy, Gary Eggins, Russell Jago) Greater Sand Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Wandering Tattler Woody Head rock platform, Bundjalung National Park c.22 Greater & 2+ Lesser Sand Plovers, 1 Wandering Tattler – all loafing on rocks. Black-necked Stalkers (Greg Clancy, Gary Eggins, Russell Jago) Black-chinned Honeyeater Gwydir Highway, Ramornie 1+ Black-chinned Honeyeater heard calling. Black-necked Stalkers (Greg Clancy, Gary Eggins, Russell Jago) White-throated Needletail Truckstop on Gwydir Highway, E of Washpool National Park turnoff One White-throated Needletail flying over Highway. Black-necked Stalkers (Greg Clancy, Gary Eggins, Russell Jago) Rufous Scrub-bird, Southern Emu-wren, Scarlet Robin Surveyors Creek, Gibraltar Range National Park Rufous Scrub-bird heard calling at edge of rainforest gully, Southern Emu-wrens heard calling in heathland and Scarlet Robin observed in recently burnt area. Black-necked Stalkers (Greg Clancy, Gary Eggins, Russell Jago) White-winged Triller, Varied Sittella, Forest Kingfisher Upper Coldstream Road, Tyndale Adult male White-winged Triller and 3+ Varied Sittellas in trees and Forest Kingfisher heard calling near wetland. Black-necked Stalkers (Greg Clancy, Gary Eggins, Russell Jago) Buff-banded Rail, Chestnut Teal Fullers Road, The Parade Ground, near Ulmarra Buff-banded Rail feeding at water’s edge near Chestnut Teal. Black-necked Stalkers (Greg Clancy, Gary Eggins, Russell Jago) White-winged Triller Washpool Road, near Four Mile Lane, Clarenza White-winged Triller heard singing. Black-necked Stalkers (Greg Clancy, Gary Eggins, Russell Jago) Spangled Drongo, Common Cicadabird Bellbird Gully, Gibraltar Range National Park Adult Spangled Drongo constructing nest in Brush Box. Common Cicadabird heard singing. Black-necked Stalkers (Greg Clancy, Gary Eggins, Russell Jago) White-browed and Masked Woodswallows Kurri Kurri Woodlands, Hunter Valley Around 30 Woodswallows, mostly White-browed. Hunter Home Brewers (Steve & Mick Roderick, Craig Anderson & Lucas Grenadier Square-tailed Kite St Ives At around midday whilst working in Richmond Ave, St. Ives, my daughter alerted me to a large ‘hawk’ flying low over the roof and tree tops. It was an adult Square-tailed Kite and I was lucky enough to observe it for a minute as it quartered the area – which is adjacent to the wildflower garden. Eventually to was seen off by an unlikely alliance of Masked Lapwings, Australian Magpies and an Australian Raven! Nick Billington Satin Bowerbird, Green Catbird, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Topknot Pigeon, Black-faced Monarch Royal National Park–Werrong Track The Black-faced Monarchs were up the top along the road but more heard down the track as well as whistlers. In the section between the clifftop plateau and about 50 m from the (supposed) meteorite lake (dry at the moment) at least 5 x female-type Satin Bowerbirds feeding and bickering in a native fruit tree. More heard close by. The same area where the Topknot Pigeon was photographed the previous morning. The Green Catbird and Yellow-throated Scrubwren at the dry lake. Superb Lyrebird unusually high in a tree (I think he was eating the fruit) at the lake. He tried very hard to mimic some whistles I gave him and came down quite low to have a bit of a vocal spar with me but wasn’t well practised which makes me think he was quite young. Lots of White-browed Scrubwrens and thornbills, Crimson Rosellas, two Australian King-Parrots and quite a few Sulphur-crested Cockatoos around lake area. The Cliff foliage at North end of the beach held Eastern Yellow Robin nest. Superb Fairywrens and some Lewin’s Honeyeaters. White-bellied Sea-eagle seen flying out to sea and around the southern beach clifftop. Butcherbirds, Pied Currawongs and Laughing Kookaburras up near the cliff top carpark. Richard Hardiman Apostlebird, Blue-faced Honeyeater, White-winged Triller, White-thoated Needle-tail Nurragingy Nature Reserve A pair of Blue-faced Honeyeater with their two chicks were feeding near the pond. On the track near creek we found 3 juvs of White-winged Triller still fed by their parents. A pair of Apostlebirds is still building their nest. We saw Collared Sparrowhawk (probably male – very small bird) feeding on a Magpie Lark chick near the entrance to the reserve. 23 White-throated Needle-tails were circling over reserve. Ted Wnorowski Sat 25 Oct Hooded Robin, White-winged Triller, Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo, Dusky Woodswallow, Weebill Graman-Ashford Road, SW of Ashford Adult male Hooded Robin, adult male White-winged Triller and Dusky Woodswallow observed, Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo and Weebill heard calling. Jacky Winter and Musk Lorikeet also present. Black-necked Stalkers (Greg Clancy, Gary Eggins, Russell Jago) Powerful Owl, Noisy Pitta, Australian Owlet-nightjar Coachwood Picnic Area, Washpool National Park Powerful Owl heard calling to east at night. Noisy Pitta heard calling throughout the night. Australian Owlet-nightjar heard calling. Black-necked Stalkers (Greg Clancy, Gary Eggins, Russell Jago) Eastern Barn Owl Emmaville to Dundee Road Two separate Eastern Barn Owls perched on fence posts a few kilometres apart. Black-necked Stalkers (Greg Clancy, Gary Eggins, Russell Jago) Barking Owl, Turquoise Parrot, Southern Boobook near Strathbogie, W of Emmaville, Ashford-Emmaville Road Adult pair of Barking Owls responded to imitation of call and flew in for good views at 20:30 hrs. Turquoise Parrot seen at dusk (only seen by Russell). Southern Boobook heard calling at night. Black-necked Stalkers (Greg Clancy, Gary Eggins, Russell Jago) Australian Ringneck, Chestnut-breasted Mannikin, Pale-headed Rosella Reedy Creek, Warialda One Australian Ringneck, 4+ Pale-headed Rosellas and 5+ Chestnut-breasted Mannikins along creek. Black-necked Stalkers (Greg Clancy, Gary Eggins, Russell Jago) Eastern Barn Owl Fossickers Way, south-east of Warialda Road kill Eastern Barn Owl on Fossickers Way. Black-necked Stalkers (Greg Clancy, Gary Eggins, Russell Jago) White-winged Triller Park in Glen Innes Female White-winged Triller in exotic trees. Black-necked Stalkers team (Greg Clancy, Gary Eggins, Russell Jago) Brolga, Latham’s Snipe Chaffin Swamp, Tucabia Adult Brolga sitting low on nest in swamp. One Latham’s Snipe foraging nearby. Brolga not present on October 26. Nest presumably robbed by predator. Greg Clancy & Russell Jago Freckled Duck, Pink-eared Duck, Blue-billed Duck, Aust. Shoveler, Yellow-throated Miner Gunnedah sewage treatment plant Freckled Duck (1), Aust. Shoveler (3+), Pink-eared Duck (100s), Blue-billed Duck (5+), Yellow-throated Miner (2) Dodgy Drongos – Max Breckenridge, Nick Livanos and Grant Brosie Hooded Robin, Spotted Bowerbird, White-backed Swallow Kelvin Road, north of the Boggabri-Manilla Road Absolutely firing! Heaps of White-browed, Masked and Dusky Woodswallow, White-backed Swallow and Rainbow Bee-eater. Hooded Robin carrying food. Spotted Bowerbird, Australian Koel and Yellow-throated Miner at the farm house. Other good birds included Southern Whiteface, Restless Flycatcher and Peaceful Dove. Dodgy Drongos – Max Breckenridge, Nick Livanos and Grant Brosie Turquoise Parrot, Brush Cuckoo, Black-chinned Honeyeater Borah Travelling Stock Reserve 3 Turquoise Parrots and 3-5 Black-chinned Honeyeaters (the latter heard only). Brush Cuckoo was an unusual sighting. Unfortunately Borah has suffered from over grazing and dry conditions which was reflected in the low numbers of seed eaters. Only 2 Diamond Firetails were seen. Several flowering gums were filled with small honeyeaters but Little Lorikeets were only present in small numbers. Rainbow Bee-eaters, White-browed Woodswallow and Tree Martins were common. Dodgy Drongos – Max Breckenridge, Nick Livanos and Grant Brosie Thu 23 Oct Australian Hobby Brooms Head Road, Taloumbi Adult Australian Hobby sitting on nest previously reported. Greg Clancy & Russell Jago White-throated Nightjar W of Lake Arragan, Yuraygir National Park Adult White-throated Nightjar sitting on egg. Adult missing on October 26 with feathers on ground and remains of egg in nest. Adult presumably killed by predator – fox or monitor? Note: observers never approached closely to nest. Bird photographed at distance through spotting scope. Greg Clancy & Russell Jago Latham’s Snipe Wetland along Pacific Highway at Cowper Two Latham’s Snipe flushed from water’s edge. Greg Clancy & Russell Jago Tue 21 Oct Pacific Baza Pacific Highway, N of Iluka turnoff One Pacific Baza flew over Highway to roadside tree. Greg Clancy & Warren Thompson Swamp Harrier Yaegl Nature Reserve, Harwood Swamp Harrier in flight over Pacific Highway and Nature Reserve. Uncommon during spring and summer months on the NSW north coast. Common migrant in the autumn-winter. Greg Clancy & Warren Thompson Sat 18 Oct Collared Sparrowhawk Toumbaal Fire Trail, N of Sandon, Yuraygir National Park Collared Sparrowhawk in flight over fire trail (Collared Sparrowhawks are uncommon on the NSW north coast compared to the Brown Goshawk). Greg Clancy Fri 17 Oct Shy Heathwren,Yellow-plumed Honeyeater, Splendid Fairywren, Crested Bellbird,Yellow-rumped Pardalote Taleeban Mining Reserve, near Weethalle Camped overnight 17/18 October at Taleeban mallee. Highlights of 42 species recorded were 2 Shy Heathwren, many Yellow-plumed Honeyeater, Splendid & Variegated Fairywrens, Spotted Pardalote (2 nesting pairs of yellow-rumped mallee form), Crested Bellbird, Hooded Robin, White-browed Woodswallow, Rainbow Bee-eater, Little Eagle, Tawny Frogmouth, Australian Owlet-nightjar, Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo, Mulga Parrot, Yellow-throated Miner, Pied & Grey Butcherbirds, Chestnut-rumped, Yellow & Inland Thornbill. Marnix & Maurits Zwankhuizen Thu 16 Oct Collared Sparrowhawk East of Bellingen Collared Sparrowhawk in flight (Collared Sparrowhawks are uncommon on the NSW north coast compared to the Brown Goshawk). Greg Clancy, Mary & Jack Wyatt, Sue & Jerry Miller