| Thu 31 | | Pacific Golden Plover
Bicentennial Park (Sydney Olympic Park)--Waterbird Refuge |
|
| a Pacific Golden Plover in molting breeding plumage was seen at the Waterbird Refuge Bird Hide, Olympic Park. The bird is difficult to see because the vegetation on the waterline is a little taller than the bird. However, it is only 50 meters from the bird hide and when it appears it is giving superb views. eBird checklist |
| Gerard Duane 1/11 #271895 |
| | White-throated Needletails
Kahlua Crescent, Bomaderry |
| 11am, just three seen, very high, from backyard while hanging washing. Ran in for bino's, but no more seen.
They were heading SE.. My first for this area in 2024. |
| Harry Roberts. 31/10 #271892 |
| | Baillons Crake; Australian Spotted Crake
Sydney Olympic Park--Brickpit Ring Walk |
| 1 Baillons and 2 Spotted Crakes seen foraging on muddy margins of the reedy ponds to the SE of the main body of water. Good views with a scope from the ringwalk itself allowing birds to forage undisturbed. eBird checklist |
| Tom Wilson 31/10 #271891 |
| Wed 30 | | Superb Parrot
Cnr Hume highway and Olympic way |
| 3 birds seen flying across highway from lake Hume direction heading west |
| Janet chapman 31/10 #271893 |
| | Brown Songlark
Freemans Road, Rawdon Island, near Wauchope |
| A single adult male Brown Songlark was first seen on Rawdon Island by Matthew Hinze, on Sunday 28/10/2024. Subsequently seen my other members of the Hastings Birdwatchers since 29/10/24 including myself today. The bird has been observed singing from the top of a small dead tree in an open paddock. So far as I am aware, this is the first Brown Songlark recorded this spring on the Mid North Coast, at least in the Hastings, Kempsey and former Greater Taree LGAs which are the areas of interest for the Hastings Birdwatchers. eBird checklist |
| Alan Morris 30/10 #271890 |
| Tue 29 | | Dollarbird and Fan-tailed Cuckoo
E 149.92264, S 35.27714 Mongarlowe River |
| Initially heard Dollarbird calls and with some searching got a clear sighting of 2 birds over the Mongarlowe River. Fan-tailed Cuckoo was also initially heard and then sighted in open forest near the Mongarlowe R. First sighting of both species at this location for this season. |
| Nick Charley 29/10 #271887 |
| Mon 28 | | White-throated Needletail, Cicadabird, Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, Spectacled Monarch
Iluka Nature Reserve and Village |
|
| 25+ Needletails first observed by Pierre Charbonneau and also observed by Russell Jago. First season record for observer. Cicadabird and Bronze-Cuckoo heard calling. Two Monarchs caught and banded on Oct 27 and 2 on Oct 28. |
| Greg Clancy, Pierre Charbonneau, Russell Jago, Richard Harris 30/10 #271889 |
| Fri 25 | | Dollarbird
Ferdinand Street, Hunters Hill, NSW |
| Single Dollarbird seen flying over Ferdinand Street, Hunters Hill. Unusual bird for this area though they used to be seen regularly about 20 years ago. |
| Elisabeth Hodson 25/10 #271881 |
| | Red Knot (19), Bar-tailed Godwit (105)
Tuggerah Lakes |
| Solid counts for the Central Coast of both species. |
| Andrew Robinson 25/10 #271880 |
| Wed 23 | | Superb Parrot
63k's west of Cowra on Forbes Rd. |
| First siting for the season of 2 separate pairs.
A good season this Spring should make for a good breeding for the Superb's this year. |
| Chris. Catt 23/10 #271874 |
| | White-throated Needletails.
Denistone Park |
| My first Needletails flew over Denistone Park this morning counted 30 birds flying south. |
| Michael Ronan 23/10 #271872 |
| Tue 22 | | Blue-billed Duck
Blayney Sewage Treatment Plant |
| One male observed on ponds with variety other ducks including Pink-ears, Shovellers and Hardheads |
| Deryk and Harry Engel 23/10 #271871 |
| Mon 21 | | Greater Sooty Owl
Narrowneck, Katoomba |
| While photographing the C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) comet last night atop Narrowneck Plateau, we heard the single falling bomb whistle call of an adult Sooty Owl in the valley below at 20:43hrs.
Time is very typical for an adult to call as the light has disappeared from the sky. I've often heard them call in suitable areas about this time of the light period. Only one call, but loud and clear for easy identification.
Approximate location (Google Maps) -33.728263, 150.283740 eBird checklist |
| Ákos Lumnitzer, Netra Chetty and The Rockman (Andy Klotz) 22/10 #271869 |
|  | Masked Booby,Buller's Albatross,Wandering type Albatross.
Long Reef Aquatic Reserve. |
| Had a great days seabirding from Long Reef today highlights were Masked Booby probably the same bird seen on the Sydney pelagic,also counted 9 Buller's Albatross,about 80 Shy Albatross,about 85 Black-browed Albatross,I very snowy Wandering type Albatross and 6 Arctic Jaeger's. |
| Michael Ronan 21/10 #271868 |
| | Beach Stone Curlew
28°48'02.4"S 153°35'47.4"E Lennox Head |
| Two seen along the shoreline at sunset. Possibly a breeding pair. |
| Tara McGready 21/10 #271867 |
| | Brush Cuckoo, Little Bronze-Cuckoo
Coutts Crossing Village |
| Brush Cuckoo heard calling yesterday (Oct 20), first for season although a short call 3-4 days earlier was probably this species. Little Bronze-Cuckoo heard calling in yard again today. |
| Greg Clancy 21/10 #271865 |
| Sun 20 | | Banded Lapwing, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Red-kneed Dotterel, Songlarks, Trillers
Richmond Lowlands, Pitt Town Lagoon |
| Banded Lapwings have arrived in northwest Sydney - four at Richmond Lowlands (Cornwells Lane : 33°34'36.3"S 150°46'02.4"E) and 13 at Freeman's Reach Turf Farms (Batchellors Wharf Rd : 33°34'35.5"S 150°48'57.0"E). Bushells Lagoon, Wilberforce Lagoon and Pitt Town Lagoon all chock full leaving little shoreline for waders. Nevertheless, a walk down to Pitt Town Lagoon (via Lagoon Rd : 33°35'26.2"S 150°51'32.5"E) yielded the Red-kneed Dotterels, a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and an Eastern Long-necked Turtle. Many Brown and Rufous Songlarks primarily at Richmond Lowlands, and White-winged Trillers everywhere. |
| Chris Rehberg - Sydney Birding, with Garth Shaw 21/10 #271864 |
| Sat 19 | | Black Falcon
Lawrence (Ensby Road, approx 1km south of Lawrence) |
| A pair of Black Falcon initially observed flying low & fast over cane field being harvested. Male caught what was possibly a Common Myna & flew to a nearby power pole & was joined by much larger female. Male consumed the prey & pair remained perched for some time. Both birds observed perched together on a nearby power pole later in day in same field. Black Kite, Sea Eagle, Whistling Kite & Wedge-tailed Eagle also observed over harvesting operation. Previous records in this vicinity from approx 3 years ago, Black Falcons are rarely observed in the Clarence Valley. eBird checklist |
| Darryl Eggins 19/10 #271862 |
| Fri 18 | | Great Knot, Sanderling, Greater and Siberian Plover
Manning River estuary at Harrington Breakwall |
| The Central Coast Group, Birding NSW currently are holding a three camp at the Harrington Caravan Park. Part of the time his morning and around lunch time was checking out the waders that were feeding at the beginning of the run-out tide today opposite the Marine Rescue Centre in Harrington. The number included 4 Sanderlings, 23 Pacific Golden Plover, 1 Great Knot, 1 Greater and 1 Siberian Plover, 11 Eastern Curlews, 28 Bar-tailed Godwits, 4 Red-necked Stints and 12 Red-capped Plovers, 6 Pied Oystercatchers including one pair with two chicks. Most of these birds have been recorded on eBird (with photographs) by a variety of eBirders but no details have been published on Birdline. . eBird checklist |
| Alan Morris, Gabrielle Rees, Paul Johnstone & 23 other members of Birding NSW CC Group 18/10 #271857 |
| Thu 17 | | Masked Booby
Offshore--Sydney Pelagic |
|
| The highlight of yesterday's private charter was a lone Masked Booby (juv with some white starting to show). The bird flew in with an Australasian Gannet as we were motoring out and, typical of Masked Bobbies, it briefly followed the boat giving everyone onboard great views. This is the first record of Masked Booby on a Sydney pelagic. Other species of note were a distant Cape Petrel, seen while in transit, and a White-chinned Petrel, which hung around the boat at the drift. Other petrels seen, as expected, were Grey-faced and Providence (all in >500m). Albatrosses included good numbers of Black-browed (36), Shy (10), Campbell (1) and Gibson's (1). Shearwater species included Short-tailed, Flesh-footed, Wedge-tailed, Sooty and Fluttering. Wilson's Storm-Petrels seen at the drift. Both Brown Skuas and Pomarine Jaegers encountered whilst in transit. Australasian Gannets, Crested Terns and Silver Gulls also seen. Photograph: Greg McLachlan eBird checklist |
| Sydney Pelagics and all onboard 18/10 #271854 |
| Wed 16 | | White-throated Gerygone
Sanson Hill (private property) 17km east of Lake Cargelligo |
|
| The song caught my attention, didn’t sound quite right for Western Gerygone. Highly unusual sighting. Two birds foraging in canopy of eucalypts. Habitat - gravely hill, open areas as well as more dense areas with eucalypts, deans wattle, Eremophila, small mallee trees as well as a few other shrubs and taller eucalypts. Quite a few birds present, white-winged triller, mistletoe birds (including young) crimson chat, zebra finch, thornbills and honeyeaters. Good flocks of budgerigar here last week, none today. |
| Rebecca and Sandy Van Dyk 16/10 #271853 |
| | Dollarbird, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Little Bronze-Cuckoo
Coutts Crossing Village |
| First record for the season for Dollarbird (heard calling), Cuckoo-Dove heard calling in yard on 15 Oct and Little Bronze-Cuckoo on 14 October. |
| Greg Clancy 16/10 #271852 |
| Tue 15 | | White-bellied sea eagle
Federal |
| Single bird burst out of a mature Canphor Laurel on edge of Federal village, chased by crows. Unexpected sighting in the Byron hinterland. |
| Ian Colvin 15/10 #271850 |
| Sun 13 | | Australian Tern, Red Knot (9)
The Entrance |
|
| Single Australian Tern (non-breeding adult) at The Entrance this afternoon. From memory the last record for the Central Coast LGA was February 2021. Also reasonable numbers of Red Knot and still over 50 Bar-tailed Godwits at various locations on Tuggerah Lake. |
| Andrew Robinson 13/10 #271837 |
| Sat 12 | | White-browed & Masked Woodswallows + Budgerigars
Manna Forest Rd, south of Condobolin |
| Mixed flocks of White-browed & Masked Woodswallows along most of the 5km western edge of Manna State Forest. Also present 10km west at Weelah State Forest. We watched a male Masked WS breaking off twigs from a dead eucalypt & taking them to a fork in foliage. Male White-browed also investigating forks in branches. Assume looking to breed. Several flocks of 10-15 Budgies seen in this area, often feeding among scattered grass. |
| Rosemary & Catherine Stapleton 14/10 #271843 |
| | Kelp Gull adult
Long Reef Aquatic Reserve |
| A brief look at Long Reef in the high winds gave us an adult Kelp Gull. An unusual visitor for this time of year.
Also seen were Shy and Black-browed Albatross and migrating Short-tailed Shearwater in their hundreds. Thanks to Michael Ronan for the ID eBird checklist |
| Mike Barrow: Aussie Bird Tours 13/10 #271836 |
| Fri 11 | | White-browed Woodswallow
Firth Heinz Rd, Pillar Valley. |
| calling high in the sky, possibly Masked though in my experience White-brows most common of the 2 near the coast. |
| Clive Barker 15/10 #271849 |
| | Kelp Gull (adult)
Norah Head |
|
| Adult Kelp Gull first seen at Soldiers Beach heading north earlier in the day, before being found roosting at Norah Head in the afternoon. (Moderator's Note, 8th record for the Central Cost LGA, most previous reports have been for immature brown birds, it is rare to have an adult bird. AKM) |
| Guy Dutson and Andrew Robinson 11/10 #271833 |
| Thu 10 | | Brown Treecreeper
Glenugie State Forest near 8 Mile Rd & The Avenue, Glenugie. |
| calling bird, Black-chinned Honeyeatrrs also calling. |
| Clive Barker 15/10 #271847 |
| | Square-tailed Kite (breeding)
Bushland between Callala Bay and Beach Roads |
|
| Pair with an active nest.
Sighted due to their attempts to remove a monitor lizard from a tree some 15-20 metres from their nest.
This area has been affected by 2 separate bush fires in the past 10 years with the most recent being 2020.
The land including this nesting tree is earmarked for a housing development. |
| Charmaine Edwards and Doug Edwards 12/10 #271835 |
| | Pale-headed Rosella
Nyngan |
| Single rosella feeding on a grass strip before flying off. Only the second PHR i've seen in Nyngan in the seven and a half years I've lived here. |
| Mick Crosland 12/10 #271834 |
| | Forest Kingfisher
Randwick Environment Park |
|
| The bird was photographed far away, but the distinctive white dot between the eyes, dark blue head and sides of wings identify the species. (Moderator's Note: Rare bird for Sydney Region, in Andrew Patrick's Book "The Birds of Sydney" 2016, he mentions six reports without other details, while Ern Hoskin's Book "Birds of Sydney" 1991, mentions West Pennant Hills in 1936 and Longneck Lagoon in 1963. AKM) eBird checklist |
| Francisco Martins 10/10 #271832 |
| | Forest Kingfisher
Randwick Environment Park |
|
| Forest Kingfisher first reported here yesterday by Lewis Loncar, and followed up today by the usual local birders. Very unusual record for Sydney. I suspect it's a migrant bird from FNQ or PNG that's overshot its southerly spring migration and ended up here in suitable habitat. (Moderator's Note: While Field Guides might say that Forest Kingfishers are migratory, on the Mid North Coast and North Coast of NSW, the birds can be found in their favourite spot of woodland all year round. AKM) |
| Richard Murray 10/10 #271831 |
| | Orange Chat
Edgells Lane Wetland, Bathurst |
|
| Completely blown away by the discovery of a pair of Orange Chats on my very first visit to the wetlands today! A lifer for me and the first record for this species for Bathurst (at least according to eBird - so I am happy to be corrected). (Moderator's Note: No previous records for Bathurst as far as I can see, but two records east of Bathurst at Malabar Headland NP East 8-21/1/2006 and adult male at Tuggerah Lakes Saltmarsh 7-13/10/2018 .AKM). eBird checklist |
| Joel Poyitt 10/10 #271829 |
| | Orange Chat
Brick Pits Wetlands, Kelso |
|
| Two birds were first reported on ebird at 12pm by Joel and Ellenore Poyitt. I went out at 1pm and saw and photographed both. eBird checklist |
| Alexander Bonner 10/10 #271825 |
| Wed 9 | | Australian Pratincole
Near Chat Alley, Lake Cargelligo |
|
| Two Pratincole feeding on the edge of the road, first sighted by Meg and Neil Boness on 8th October, found again the following morning in the same location by my partner, Sandy Van Dyk. Our first ever record after searching for 7 + years!!! |
| Sandy Van Dyk 13/10 #271842 |
| | Satin Flycatcher
Jerrara Dam Kiama |
| One bird first heard than observed feeding in riparian zone next to creek. Satin Flycatcbers are a rare summer migrant in the Illawarra region. |
| Terrill Nordstrom, Dave Rower 9/10 #271824 |
| | Noisy Pitta
Darlinghurst |
| Rachael from WIRES has advised me that a Noisy Pitta has flown into a window on a balcony of a 12th Story Unit in Darlinghurst. It has been taken into care by WIRES. The bird was badly concussed but is now recovering and will be released into appropriate habitat when it is deemed fit for release. |
| per Alan Morris 9/10 #271823 |
| Tue 8 | | Black-chinned Honeyeater
Firth Heinz Rd, Pillar Valley |
| calling from canopy as moving through. |
| Clive Barker 15/10 #271848 |
| | Grey Falcon
Sturt National Park--northwest corner |
|
| Location:
Wild Deserts enclosure.
Posted to Facebook Rare Birds Alerts:
Life bird in Sturt National Park on Tuesday. This Grey Falcon, seen with and initially spotted by Chris Chapman, is one of those birding moments that will not be forgotten. We beleive it was chasing Fairy Martin's though it spent more time driving away a Black Kite and some crows in an incredible acrobatic display. We watched it for several minutes before it was gone. The bird was seen over the information gazebo on top of the sand hill at the Wild Deserts enclosure in the far north west of Sturt National Park at about 7:45am. I had placed us in the location in the hope of this bird. I couldn't believe that plan had worked; such a long shot.
Posted in our eBird list:
Fantastic bird! Hands shaking as I type this. Probably hunting the Fairy Martin’s nesting in the information gazebo on top of the sand hill. Large numbers of Zebra Finch also around the gazebo. Bombed the Black Kite and the Little Crows multiple times. Acrobatics like a WWII fighter pilot dogfighting. Two to three minutes of observation. Amazing to watch. Very strong wind blowing from the south. Plenty of lift over the face of the dune. Cool but not cold. Habitat photo included in our photos attached showing the Fairy Martins and the gazebo on the sand dune. eBird checklist |
| James Churches & Chris Chapman 14/10 #271845 |
| Mon 7 | | Far Eastern curlew (Numenius madagascariensis)
Corindi Ck estuary (Red Rock) |
| Group of 8 birds seen on sand bank near mouth of Corindi Creek.
Dog chasing unleashed with family group. (Moderator's Note: While Eastern Curlews are neither rare nor out of range and we would not normally publish random sightings of this species, they are a migratory Threatened Species and at this time of the year, small flocks are making their way down the NSW coast to their favorite estuaries here or further south in Victoria and Tasmania and they need their feeding and roosting areas to be protected and conserved. AKM) eBird checklist |
| Jo Conway 7/10 #271819 |
| | Spectacled Monarch
Narara |
|
| In a private area of Narara ecovillage. (Moderator's Note: Spectacled Monarchs are well out of range in the Central Coast but in recent years there have been regular sightings in the Ourimbah Creek RTA Landcare Reserve, a familiar story in respect to some other out of range rainforest species like Varied Trillers and Noisy Pittas!.AKM) eBird checklist |
| Guy Dutson & Andrew Robinson 7/10 #271815 |
| Sun 6 | | Black-tailed Nativehen
Dicksons Rd, Jilliby |
|
| A Black-tailed Nativehen was reported seen at Dicksons Rd, Jilliby. I grabbed my camera and was lucky enough to spot it on the side of a dam on a private property. It is a very rare bird to the Central Coast of NSW. If I understand correctly the first was in November 2012 and this may be the second sighting. First reported by Ann Lindsay at the same location 5/10/2024. eBird checklist |
| Graham Nelson 7/10 #271814 |
| | Whiskered Tern; Wood Sandpiper
Central Coast Wetlands (Tuggerah) |
| 25 Whiskered Terns feeding over the main lake from approx 11:45-12:05. Flew off northwards. Single Wood Sandpiper in the swampy area closest to the entrance road on the SW side. The Wandering Whistling Ducks reported on 5 October had gone. eBird checklist |
| Tom Wilson 6/10 #271812 |