Birdline New South Wales Published sightings for the week ending 7 Dec 2014. Sun 7 Dec Satin Flycatcher Coachwood Glen near Blackheath 2 pairs Satin Flycatchers nesting in wet sclerophyll forest about 20 metres apart. At least one nestling being fed. All four adult birds together drove away a Pied Currawong that ventured too close to the nests. Mark Hocking Wandering-type Albatross, Black-browed Albatross, Fork tailed Swift. North Head, Manly Highlights from a sea watch from north head today was a Wandering-type Albatross,17 Black-browed Albatross and 4 Shy Albatross. There were also 3 Arctic Jaegers and 2 Pomarine Jaegers, with 3 Fork-tailed Swifts circling over the cliffs ahead of the storm. michael ronan Lesser Frigatebird Tweed Heads Circled at the NSW/QLD border around Rainbox Rocks from around 1:30pm until I left around 3:10. Female. Not sure if it is of interest. Hung around for quite some time hassling the local terns. Great watching it hovering in the northerly with some Ospreys for company. [Moderator’s Note: This is definitely of interest Cliff! All sightings of Lesser Frigatebird in NSW should be submitted to NSW ORAC for review. JB] Cliff Booth Blue-billed Duck, Musk Duck Laggon at -30.531548,153.01648 – Osprey Drive, Urunga One pair of Blue-billed Ducks on the lagoon at -30.531548,153.01648. Also some Musk Ducks present. Allen Hamilton Sat 6 Dec Eastern Yellow Wagtail Lismore, 3 Chain Rd STW Wagtail at 0645. Spotted during the Challenge Count. Found near the fenced off ponds, from which it undertook undulating flight to far perimeter fence and then back over ponds calling and out of sight. (Note: You need permission to enter the STW’s) June Harris, Tony Trott, Faye Smith, Tony Gifford. Spangled Drongo Pacific Highway, Milson’s Point/Kirribilli One bird observed whilst driving towards the Harbour Bridge. Seen on a TV antenna just off the highway. Peculiar time of year (usually being a winter migrant to Sydney). Simon Gorta Black-tailed Godwit, Red-necked Avocet, Curlew Sandpiper, Red Knot Lake Innes Nature Reserve, Port Macquarie A nice collection of waders were present in Lake Innes where there are large areas of mud exposed. Black-tailed Godwit (1), Avocet (2), Curlew Sandpiper (7) , Red Knot (8), Ruddy Turnstone (1) are all unusual in the Port Macquarie area. Also present were Sharp-tailed Sandpipers (52), Red-necked Stints (30), Caspian Terns (14) and an estimated 200 White-throated Needletails passed over. Tim Morris Red-necked Avocet Yarrie Lake During a quick visit to Yarrie Lake near Wee Waa around noon today about 80 Red-necked Avocets were spotted on a sand spit (see also today’s report from the Burren Junction Bore Bath). This is the first time I have found Red-necked Avocets at Yarrie Lake (which is shallow right now), although they have been spotted in other wetlands in the area before. Michael Dahlem Marsh Sandpiper, Red-necked Avocet, Plumed Whistling-Duck Burren Junction Checking a few inland aquatic habitats before the rain can possibly cause dispersal, I found good numbers of birds at the Burren Junction Bore Bath this morning. Next to more common species, there were about 50 Red-necked Avocets (see also today’s report from Yarrie Lake), ca. 70 Plumed Whistling-Ducks, at least 4 Marsh Sandpipers (“Further information” link), some 50 Pink-eared Ducks and about 20 Hoary-headed Grebes (photos taken of all species reported here). Michael Dahlem Australian Pied Oystercatcher Deeban Spit Port Hacking Looks like our resident pair of Oystercatchers have bred. Saw four on the beach this morning with the 18 Eastern Curlews. Julie Keating Fri 5 Dec Crested Shrike-tit, Crested Bellbird, Nankeen Night-Heron, Rufous Whistler Eubalong West Sighted in creek near rest area beside bridge just east of Eubalong West, in centre of NSW. Robert Shore Broad-billed Sandpiper, Fairy Tern Lake Wollumboolla Highlights observed – 1 Broad-billed Sandpiper, 3 Fairy Tern, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 90 Red-necked Avocet, 100+ Little Tern. Carla Jackett Black-necked stork Hexam Swamp Spent the morning at Hexam Swamp to find a pair of Black-necked Storks, 20+ White-fronted Chats, White-winged Triller, White-breasted Woodswallows with fledglings and babies in nests and an Australian Hobby along with the usual suspects. Sarah Moncrieff and Josh Allen Topknot Pigeon Gordon 5 Topknot Pigeons flew in to feed on fruiting Bangalow Palms in a suburban backyard in Gordon. Also Satin Bowerbirds nesting in a pine tree. Dan Vickers (via David Vickers) Freckled Duck Deepwater Park Milperra 4 Freckled Ducks today at the Bankstown Tip detention pond. Perhaps 1 more has gone missing from East Lakes Golf Course, or perhaps they are different birds?. David James Thu 4 Dec Cook’s Petrel Pelagic off Swansea A Cook’s Petrel was the highlight of a pelagic out of Swansea today, organised by Allan Benson. It was an unusual day with large periods motoring across the ocean with not a bird in sightt. It took maybe 15 minutes at the shelf before we started seeing birds arrive. There were several Sooty Shearwaters seen, all on migration, as well as 3 Long-tailed Jaegers (making it very similar to the Nov 2012 trip out of Port Stephens). Other birds included ~10 Wilson’s Storm-petrels, 4 White-faced Storm-petrels (a good count for this species these days), an immature Black-browed type Albatross, a few Grey-faced Petrels and a single Hutton’s Shearwater. The attached image was taken by Steve Roderick. Mick Roderick, Allan Benson et al Wed 3 Dec White-winged Black Tern Newcastle Ocean Baths A White Winged Black Tern was seen at the baths on Wednesday afternoon along with 20 Common Terns plus a few Crested Terns and Silver Gulls. Richard Nicholas Red-winged Parrot Wilbetree St, Gulgong NSW Noticed two parrots fly into a Silky Oak tree about 7 pm very scruffy and different from anything I had seen here this week took photos and sought ID help from Australian Bird ID (Facebook), who suggested I let you know. [Moderator’s Note: This is almost the southernmost limit of RWP distribution. JB] Lorraine Hardwick Red-kneed Dotterel (122+), NO Little Curlew Hexham Swamp Nature Reserve Spent several hours searching for the Little Curlews to no avail. On a whim, I checked out the south end of the pipeline and was amazed to find a large flock of Red-kneed Dotterels. My biggest count from a single view was 122, although doubtless there were more out of sight. 140 would be my best guess. Nesting and recently fledged White-breasted Woodswallows was very nice. Ashwin Rudder Broad-billed Sandpiper, Fairy Tern, Sanderling Lake Wollumboola 2 Broad-billed Sandpipers, 2 Fairy Terns (amongst >100 Little Terns) and 1 Sanderling seen today at the Lake. Other birds included ~5 non-breeding White-winged Black Terns, 20 Curlew Sandpiper and 40 Red-necked Avocets Lachlan Hall Lesser Sandplover Lake Conjola Entrance at -35.267925, 150.503352 The Lesser Sandplover along with 30 Little Terns, 2 Sanderling, 40+ Red-necked Stints arrived this morning to join the 50+ Crested Terns, 11 Pied Oystercatchers and Red-capped Plovers at the entrance to Lake Conjola certainly turned a quiet area into a very busy place. Charles Dove Sooty Owl Blue Mountains National Park–Murphys Glen I accidentally flushed a Sooty Owl from it’s roost in an cave overhang along the track from Murphy’s Glen to Bedford Creek. It flew to a nearby branch raising the alarm of a lot of the smaller resident birds, then flew towards overhangs on the other side of Murphy’s Creek. Although I have only ever seen one other Sooty Owl in this area (2001), there is plenty of good habitat (tall wet gullies) and roost sites over a large area and I suspect there may be a few about. Mark Ley Tue 2 Dec Glossy Black Cockatoo, Chestnut-breasted Mannikin, Black-chinned Honeyeater, Black-eared Cuckoo Gwydir Watercourse Wetlands Waterbird Lagoon in Gwydir Wetlands SCA is hoped to be reopened again to the public in autumn 2015. Every site in the Gwydir Wetlands was surveyed. Brolgas have decreased alot in numbers. Several small flocks or pairs of Glossy Black Cockatoos were observed flying over in belah country at various sites, about 20 in total. 30 Chestnut-breasted Mannikins were observed in the reedbeds and cumbungi. Numerous Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoos were heard calling. Many White-bellied Sea Eagles were found, a total of 7 including a juvenile. Owlet Nightjars heard calling at dusk. Horsfield’s Bushlark observed. Some other unusual species including a couple Black-eared Cuckoos and some Black-chinned Honeyeaters were found by Steve Debus. Curtis Hayne Peregrine Falcon Ilarwill Quarry, Woodford Island, near Maclean Adult female perched at edge of nest ledge. Nestling/s presumably out of view on ledge. The quarry is fenced and access to nest only possibly by abseiling down the cliff. Greg Clancy, Russell Jago, Warren Thompson Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpipers, Little Egret Bushell’s Lagoon, Hawkesbury 1 Common Greenshank and 3 Marsh Sandpipers, with one Little Egret Keith Brandwood Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo, Channel-billed Cuckoo Woodford Dale, Woodford Island Adult Bronze-Cuckoo flew to roadside tree. Two separate Channel-billed Cuckoos one observed in flight and one heard calling Greg Clancy, Russell Jago, Warren Thompson Freckled Ducks and Pink-eared Duck Eastlakes golf course A Pink-eared Duck, an Australasian Shoveler and 4 Freckled Ducks seen today. There were 7 Freckled Ducks on Sunday, but 3 seemed to have moved on (maybe Milperra ?) David Mitford Plumed Whistling-Duck, Cattle Egret, Plum-headed Finch, Black-tailed Nativehen Narrabri Lake Some more bird species have arrived at Narrabri Lake, driven to the water while the rest of the landscape dries up: A pair of Plumed Whistling-Ducks (first in 8 years), at least 2 Plum-headed Finches and 2 Black-tailed Native-hens (composite photo). Also shown in the photo is one of many Cattle Egret nests on the bird island. Michael Dahlem Freckled Duck Deepwater Park Milperra 3 (at least) Freckled Ducks in the detention basin of the former Bankstown Tip adjacent to Deepwater Park (access via Kelso Park North). A single Hoary-headed Grebe has been here for a few months. Black Swan, Australasian Grebe and Little Pied Cormorant nesting here. David James Mon 1 Dec Brush Bronzewing Evan’s Lookout, Blackheath One bird seen this afternoon at the southern entrance to the Grand Canyon walk. Ian Kerr Little Curlew Hexham Swamp Nature Reserve Following up on the reports of Orange Chat and Little Curlew I spent the day at Hexham Swamp arriving mid-morning and left around 4:30. I got on to six Little Curlews, proper, around 4pm after having a brief glimpse of one earlier. The six Little Curlew flew in, from the western side, to the pond north of where they have been reported and landed amongst the drier sedges only to disappear. Dorsal and side views in flight only through bins. Couldn’t track down the Orange Chat. There are thousands of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers as well as a good number of Curlew Sandpipers amongst the throng. A lone Ruddy Turnstone also. White-fronted Chat, Crakes about as well as the usual species. Greg McLachlan Eastern Osprey Nepean Weir, Penrith One adult perched in partly dead tree top approximately 200 meters south from sake brewery in Casola Place. I was delighted to see one here again, as my last sighting was (I think) in early February this year. Akos and Donata Lumnitzer Little Curlew Hexham Swamp Nature Reserve This morning at 0800 Lorna Mee and I sighted three Little Curlews at Hexham Swamp Nature Reserve. They were seen about 100 m north of the spot previously given by Mick Roderick (-32.84800 151.68255 ) From this spot look north for the Hexham cell phone tower. They were well camouflaged in dry reeds the same grey colour as their feathers. It took about an hour to locate them, with repeated scans of the area with a spotting scope. The Orange Chat was not seen anywhere along the pipeline track but a nice sighting was a single Diamond Finch (probable escapee). Jim Smart per. hunterbirders Common Cicadabird, Brush Cuckoo Ourimbah RTA Reserve Male Cicadabird observed. Several more calling. Juvenile Brush Cuckoo being harassed by pair of Grey Fantail. other Brush Cuckoo calling at different sites. Allan Benson, Chris and Kay Aisbett Curlew Sandpiper, Red Knot, Red-necked Avocet, Horsfields Bronze-cuckoo Mason Park, Homebush Following up on recent sightings here I saw 1 Red Knot,1 Curlew Sandpiper and 1 Red-necked Avocet along with 47 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. Calling from the edge of the water was a juvenile Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo. Jenny Stiles Pink-eared Duck Sydney Olympic Park–Waterbird Refuge I was extremely surprised to see 6 Pink-eared Ducks at the Waterbird Refuge today [at the opposite end to the bird hide]. Also seen along the mangroves 2 Nankeen Night Heron, 2 Striated Heron. Jenny Stiles Sun 30 Nov Beautiful Firetail Blue Mountains National Park–Govetts Leap On the track just south west of Boyds Beach on the Popes Glen track to Govetts Leap Lookout. Only one seen. Ian Kerr Fri 28 Nov Powerful Owl, Australian Owlet-nightjar, White-throated Nightjar Chambigne Nature Reserve Powerful Owl observed in silhouette perched on low horizontal branch above track. 3+ Owlet-nightjars heard calling and one White-throated Nightjar flew from track in front of vehicle. Greg Clancy, Russell Jago, Annette Cook Thu 27 Nov Spotted Harrier Sandon Road, Yuraygir National Park Adult Harrier hunting over grassland near Road. Greg Clancy, Russell Jago, Matt Templeton Wed 26 Nov Barking Owl, Australian Owlet-nightjar, Noisy Pitta, Brush Cuckoo Chambigne Creek TSR Two Barking Owls responding to playback, one observed second heard calling. Three Owlet-nightjars, one Noisy Pitta and one Brush Cuckoo all heard calling at night. An adult male Koala was also a bonus for the night’s observations being first detected by its distinctive call. Greg Clancy, Geoff and Natalie Ryan, Andrew and Joan Watson
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