Birdpedia – Australia – Weekly Digest

The following is a digest of Sightings Reported on Birdpedia for the period Monday, October 19, 2015 to Sunday, October 25, 2015: Area: SA Location: Smaller pond off western side of Main South Road and Onkaparinga River road bridge, adjacent to Old Noarlunga township and alongside the Boy Scout Hall Blue-billed Duck (Oxyura australis) (1) One or two of the Blue-billed Ducks have been appearing in the ponds off Main Sth Rd each year around Winter/Spring, likely because this is the only pond/lake that has water now and almost all year around. Was unaware if they actually bred here or not until this morning when I photographed a female and 4 ducklings hugging the reed beds on the far side of the smaller and deeper pond this morning. First sighting of ducklings of this species I’ve seen, and lovely to think they may continue to breed annually, here’s hoping they continue each year Reported by: Colin Cock on Tuesday, October 20, 2015 ——————————————— Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2015 Location: Goolwa Effluent Ponds Banded Stilt (Cladorhynchus leucocephalus) (5) Five adults feeding in a tight group loosely associated with 8 Black-winged Stilts although when disturbed they all flew around together but settled again and returned to feeding separately. I was surprised how shallow the main pool is. The Stilts were walking around in the centre of it. Two of the 3 smaller pools are completely dry. The value of this site has declined since the construction of two high banked reservoirs adjacent and to which there is no public access. The entrances to the site now have elaborate rustic wooden signs stating “Kessell Road Ponds”. The money would have been better spent on buying some water! Reported by: Jeffrey Crocker on Wednesday, October 21, 2015 ——————————————— Date: Thursday, October 22, 2015 Location: Point Sturt Road, Point Sturt, private property White-throated Gerygone (Gerygone olivacea) (1) A single bird heard calling over the last few days. This is the second sighting at this location in the past two years(September 2013). Reported by: Michaela Doecke on Thursday, October 22, 2015 ——————————————— Date: Friday, October 23, 2015 Location: Sandy Creek Conservation Park Olive-backed Oriole (Oriolus sagittatus) (1) Adult male bird sighted near restored cottage (adj. Pimpala Rd). It aggressively pursued a pair of grey shrike-thrush for 200m from where first sighted, but later returned to investigate a processional caterpillar nest. It remained silent for the 10 minute observation period and did not respond to calls. Reported by: Jeff Philcox on Sunday, October 25, 2015 ——————————————— Date: Friday, October 23, 2015 Location: Washpool ALdinga Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae) (1) 20 Cape Barren Geese feeding in grass on Northern side of Washpool Water in both ponds, but drying out. Usual Black winged Stilts, Grey Teal, White faced Heron, Black Swans, Masked Lapwing, Whiskered Tern, 2 silver gulls. with Margaret Moxon & Christine Bates-Brownsword Reported by: Sue Winwood on Sunday, October 25, 2015 ——————————————— Date: Sunday, October 25, 2015 Location: Dry Creek Trails Valley View Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) (1) With young, but as is very often the case, the nest is very close to a Magpie Lark’s nest. This fact is also prevalent at Whites Rd in 3 areas around the smallest of the bottom ponds/lakes. Also noted that the Horsfields Bronze-Cuckoo is still around the pile of dead branches/sticks in the paddock at the bottom of the smallest of the ponds/lakes. Photos attached. Australian White Ibis (Threskiornis molucca) (1) At least 30 meters up a gum tree. Photo attached. Collared Sparrowhawk (Accipiter cirrocephalus) (1) 2 Willie Wagtails making their danger signals attracted me to a dark patch in a tree some 50 meters away. Not the best photo but looks to me like a Collared Sparrowhawk. Reported by: Gordon Pateman on Sunday, October 25, 2015 ——————————————— Need more information about a sighting? Login and contact the poster directly. Receive sightings via email or SMS immediately they are posted. Not a member of Birdpedia? Membership is free and gives you access to information for over 230 countries. To sign up go to the Birdpedia Web Site (http://www.birdpedia.com/). To find out more about Birdpedia and what it can do for you, see ‘What is Birdpedia?’ ———————————————