Birdline New South Wales Weekly Update

Birdline New South Wales Published sightings for the week ending 30 Nov 2014. Sun 30 Nov Pacific Emerald Dove Waterfront Sanctuary Point Saw a pair of Pacific Emerald Doves come from a large tree. She disappeared into the undergrowth below our trees and appeared with several twigs in her beak. Eventually dad appeared and they drank out of the bird bath. I took many photos of them I have lived here since 1989. Have never sen them before in the basin. [Moderator’s Note: A rare bird in the Jervis Bay region, so an excellent breeding record! JB] Paul Johnson Pacific Baza, Rainbow Bee-eater, Common Bronzewing, Brush Cuckoo Fernances Crossing Rd Murrays Run The Central Coast Group of Birding NSW had an outing yesterday to Murrays Run, Laguna and Wollombi, and the best birds were seen along the private road, Fernaces Crossing Rd. We were there by invitation and the production of our PL Insurance. We went to see nesting Pacific Bazas, but the single young had left the nest on 28/11/14 although the parents were seen by the owners before we arrive. The nest site was the same as last year. Other good birds were 2 Rainbow Bee-eaters, 4 Common Bronzewings, Shining Bronze, Brush, Fan-tailed, Koel and Channel-billed Cuckoo, Leaden Flycatchers and Sacred Kingfishers. 44 species seen in 9-1100 hrs. alan Morris & 24 other observers Little Curlew Hexham Swamp Nature Reserve–Old Pipeline Track 2 birds initially observed then flying to join a further 4. Foraging and loafing on saline deteriorating Phragmites clumps with Black-winged Stilts and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. Observed for about half an hour from around 7:15am. [Moderator’s Note: All sightings of Little Curlew should be reported to NSW ORAC. JB] Steve Roderick and Allan Richardson – joined by three others. Magpie Goose Mehi River, Moree The Magpie Geese numbers had increased every day and was special to find 100 birds together over the past few weeks. The water level of the Mehi has gone up very high in the last couple of days. Almost the whole population has left within a few days. A total of just 8 Magpie Geese were found yesterday and today. Curtis Hayne Plumed Whistling-Duck, Shining Bronze Cuckoo, Pacific Koel Terry Hie Hie 200 Plumed Whistling Ducks, together with about 200 Wood Ducks were found in wheat stubble. If the Whistling Ducks hadn’t been calling, they would have gone unnoticed. Another 50 Plumed Whistling Ducks were found along the creek. This species has not been as common this year so an unusual find. A male Koel heard calling, first for the season. A Shining Bronze Cuckoo was heard calling in cypress pine scrub, ID confirmed after listening to its recorded call. Also found were 2 Cattle Egrets and an Azure Kingfisher which haven’t been sighted for several months. Curtis Hayne Sat 29 Nov Orange Chat Hexham Swamp (Hunter Wetlands National Park) – Old Pipeline Track A female Orange Chat was photographed on the main access track in Hexham Swamp (-32 51 8 / 151 41 2) yesterday afternoon by Greg Pearson. The bird was apparently on its own (though Greg made a count of 32 White-fronted Chats elsewhere on the swamp). It was only seen briefly before flying off. It has not been relocated today despite extensive searches (including many people out there looking at the Little Curlews, which are being seen only 500m from the OC sighting). A remarkable record, considering there doesn’t appear to be any evidence of an influx or irruption elsewhere in NSW. In fact, I can’t find records of Orange Chats in NSW away from the Tibooburra area since 12 Jan 2013 when AKM reported 4 birds at the Lake Cargelligo poo ponds. There are historic records of birds in the Merriwa area (Upper Hunter) with the most recent being (ironically enough) of a single bird on 29-30 Nov 1979. The record will be reviewed by the Hunter Bird Observers Club Records Appraisal Committee. There are currently many 1000’s of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers using Hexham Swamp again, with at least 2 Pectoral Sands being seen amongst them. Conditions are looking great for a productive summer out there. Greg Pearson per Mick Roderick Red Knot Sydney Olympic Park–Waterbird Refuge Single Red Knot present in late afternoon with three Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, possibly one of the birds present at Hen and Chicken Bay the day before. Only my second record of Red Knot at SOP. Dion Hobcroft Rufous Fantail, Little Egret Nepean Weir Flew across river from west to the eastern side in clear view this morning about 9:30am and perched a short while. Never in the eight years I’ve been coming here have I seen this species at the weir. Also a Little Egret present downstream from weir. Akos Lumnitzer Fri 28 Nov Red Knot Hen and Chicken Bay 1′ Cell Four Red Knots were a good turn up in Hen and Chicken Bay. A single bird at Roberts Rd, Cabarita and three at Halliday Park. Was hoping to find the Grey-tailed Tattler reported at Sydney Olympic Park but no luck with this, Dion Hobcroft Red-Collared Lorikeet (banded) Beecroft NSW This escapee flies with a flock of rainbow lorikeets. He has chosen a Rainbow as his mate. We have seen him over the past 6 weeks and he feeds in the Lilly Pilly trees on our verandah also in the Rondaletia shrub when it was flowering, he was there most days. (Moderator’s Note: An obvious escapee and normally we would not publish but it is a good photo for education purposes. AKM) Dianne Donovan Australian Brush-turkey Mt Kembla (Illawarra Escarpment) A brush-turkey was seen by a friend in her yard at Mt Kembla. This is at the very southern extent of their regular range. She tells me they are regularly seen around the area. Ashwin Rudder per anon. Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo Warriewood Wetlands A single Horsefield’s Bronze Cuckoo seen well this morning for about 5 minutes halfway along the track in a Cheese Tree Jayden Walsh Thu 27 Nov Long-billed Corella Ophir Road, Rock Forest A pair of Long-billed Corellas flew into a Ribbon Gum by the road, perched and squawked for a bit before flying off in an easterly direction. Have not seen this species in the region before. Coordinates: 149 20 43 E, 33 21 2.2 S. Tiffany Mason Tue 25 Nov Fork-tailed Swifts Moree Hundreds and hundreds of Fork-tailed Swifts around the township. Curtis Hayne Lesser Frigatebird South Ballina beach. While watching the waders on South Ballina beach this morning a female Lesser Frigatebird cruised slowly north just outside the breakers. michael ronan Red-necked Avocet, Whiskered Tern, Black-tailed Native-hen, Magpie Goose Narrabri Lake Narrabri Lake is shallow now, drawing in a few bird species that are not seen there regularly. A single Red-necked Avocet is a first for me (in 8 years), a Whiskered Tern in breeding plumage (not seen since September 2010) and at least two Black-tailed Native-hens (last seen there May 2013) were found today (see composite photo). There are still about 45 Magpie Geese around (down from ca. 80 previously) and there are at least 50, maybe 100 pairs of Cattle Egrets and Australian White Ibis nesting on the bird refuge island (photos taken).(Moderator’s note: I am unaware of any recent Cattle Egret nesting colonies in inland NSW other that occasionally in the Macquarie Marshes, in recent times. AKM) Michael Dahlem Fork-tailed Swift Lyndale Ave, Port Macquarie Approximately 5 Fork-tailed Swifts and similar number of White-throated Needletails present. Tim Morris Mon 24 Nov Black-necked Stork, Red-necked Avocet, Red-necked Stint Geoffrey Rd North Chittaway, part of Tuggerah Bay, Tuggerah Lake. An immature Black-necked Stork was seen early this morning by Ella De Jong, who reported the sighting to me. On inspection I found that there was a Stork feeding with 280 Black Swans, 19 Red-necked Avocets ( a very rare bird for this location), 97 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, 24 Black-winged Stilts, 14 Red-necked Stints, 80 Grey Teal, 9 roosting Caspian Terns and sundry other waterbirds on this section of Tuggerah Bay. This would be the first time a Stork has been recorded in this area for at least 16 years. Alan Morris, Ella De Jong, photo by Andrew Melville Grey-tailed Tattler Sydney Olympic Park Grey-tailed Tattler on barge in Parramatta River just north of Waterbird Refuge. Jeffrey Byron Sun 23 Nov Square-tailed Kite Shoplands Road, Annangrove Single adult harassing a Grey Butcherbird along the ridgeline. Seems as though Annangrove may now be part of the home range of a pair of Square-tailed Kites given the several sightings of adults and a juvenile at my block this year. Darryl Smedley Powerful Owl Balmoral Beach, Mosman Immature Powerful Owl roosting in one of the fig trees overhanging the walkway that runs immediately behind Balmoral Beach, about midway between the baths and the bridge crossing to the grassy atoll. Seemingly not perturbed by the thousands of beachgoers (it was about 3PM) nor the harassment of a Pied Currawong followed by two Australian Magpies, the latter being what bought my attention to the owls presence. Poor quality photo attached from my compact camera. Cameron Ward Caspian Tern, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Striated Heron Narrabeen Lakes Whilst paddleboarding on the lagoon on Sunday, 4 Caspian Terns were spotted on the sandbank at the western end near the golf course. Also roosting in a tree nearby a White-bellied Sea Eagle. Striated Heron spotted on the bank on the northern shore next to Wakehurst Parkway foraging. Mike Barrow Hooded Plover Meroo National Park at 35 28 55S 150 23 20E Two banded Hooded Plovers seen this morning along the beach. Could not be located when I returned with binoculars to read the bands. Joshua Bergmark Scarlet Robin, White-winged Triller, Wedge-tailed Eagle Six Foot Track, Megalong Interesting to watch (from a distance) 2 Wedge-tailed Eagles going after a small Wallaby (record photo attached). Was horse riding so only briefly noted 2 Scarlet Robins, 2 nesting Dusky Woodswallows, 1 White-winged Triller, 1 Jacky Winter, 2 Sacred Kingfishers, 1 White-throated Gerygone and scores of other little birds. David Vickers Sat 22 Nov Fork-tailed Swift 39 Charlton Street, Nambucca Heads, NSW 2448 Good numbers of Fork-tailed Swifts hawking over Charlton Street on Saturday evening 6.30 PM 22 November. (I haven’t learned to count swifts reliably: when there are singles and small groups hawking about = a small number; seemingly all over the sky in one strata level = a good number; when the sky is full of them at several altitudes = a large number.) Evan Cleland Sooty Owl Cedar Creek [via Ruined Castle] Called twice in vicinity of the large overhang [Cedar Cave] at 489 597, 8 p.m. Lots of skulls of as yet unidentified fine-toothed creatures on ‘cave’ floor. There were also large numbers of Black-faced Monarchs calling incessantly along the creek [not, clearly, contributing to the pile of skulls!] Ted Nixon Wed 19 Nov Glossy Black-cockatoo Pambula-Merimbula Golf Course Saw two Glossy Black-cockatoos feeding in a she-oak next to the thirteenth hole John Nicholson