| Fri 31 | | Magpie Goose, Australian White Ibis
Wetland along Big River Way, Clarenza |
|
| 18+ Geese loafing with Australian White Ibis. |
| Greg Clancy 31/10 #272854 |
| | Banded Lapwing
Turf Farm, Glenarvon Rd Lorn |
|
| While the flock of Banded Lapwings at The Richmond Lowlands, north-west of Sydney, receives regular attention on Facebook, this group of nine bird at Lorn receive much less publicity. The Hunter birders know about this flock but nothing gets put on Facebook or Birdline. The flock was seen and photographed recently by James Bennett on 3/10, and again by Erin Wise on 26/10, while the 9 birds were seen on the turf farm again today. The only other report of a Banded Lapwing in coastal areas recently was the single bird at Settlement Point, Port Macquarie on 16/10 by James Bennett #272822. eBird checklist |
| Alan Morris and Erin Wise 31/10 #272853 |
| | Crimson Chat
Mount Kaputar National Park--Upper Bullawa Creek |
|
| At the dam on the northern side of Bullawa Creek, 2 km upstream from Foggy Dell, early in the morning. It appeared to be there on its own; no female found. |
| Michael Dahlem 31/10 #272847 |
| Thu 30 | | Black Kite
Wherret Park, Maclean |
| One Kite circling over park at 11:10 hrs. |
| Greg Clancy 30/10 #272844 |
| | Magpie Goose
Wetland along Big River Way, Clarenza |
| 8+ Geese loafing at wetland. First record at this site for some weeks/months as the flock had evacuated the site to breed in the Coldstream Wetlands. The whole flock of 500+ is expected to return to the site in the next few weeks. |
| Greg Clancy 30/10 #272843 |
| | White-throated Needletail, Dollarbird
Elland, South Grafton |
| 30+ Needletails foraging in the air with 3+ Dollarbirds at 10:15 hrs. Observer's first Needletail records for the season. |
| Greg Clancy 30/10 #272842 |
| | Wandering Whistling Duck
Swansea. NSW |
|
| Spotted One Only Wandering Whistling Duck at Park Street Swansea eBird checklist |
| Gordon Arthur 30/10 #272841 |
| | Barred Cuckooshrike
Trenayr just north of Grafton @ James Lane/Bunyip Creek |
| Barred Cuckooshrike observed perched on exposed dead branch in top of dead Euc. Uniform very dark grey upper colouring with very distinct yellow eye and barring on lower body. Good views through scope. Riparian/rainforest remnant vegetation along creek and several large native figs in surrounding area. First record of this species at this site, previous records at Maclean and Iluka Nature Reserve.
Also several Pallid Cuckoos, Little Bronze Cuckoo, several White-winged Trillers and three Latham’s Snipe observed. eBird checklist |
| Darryl Eggins and Leanne Moore 30/10 #272839 |
| | Bush stone curlew
Grenfell St coraki |
| Lived her 10 years and never not once seen a curlew let alone heard one. Was going out predawn and there the bird was. Grainy photos sorry for that |
| Angela Powell 30/10 #272838 |
| Wed 29 | | Little Eagle (Light Morph), White Winged Trillers
Orange City and Spring Terrace |
| A Little Eagle was observed flying high over Orange township late afternoon. Two White-winged Trillers were photographed in a pasture paddock at Spring Terrace. |
| Douglas Hocking 31/10 #272846 |
|  | Inland Dotterel, Black Falcon, Australian Prattincole
40 km SW of Booligal |
| Returning from bird surveys late in the afternoon I found a pair of Black Falcon standing on the road, two Prattincole bathing in a roadside dam and then just after dark two Inland Dotterel on the road |
| Warren Chad 30/10 #272840 |
| | Rufous Fantail
Pomona St, Pennant Hills |
|
| Came into house |
| Matthew Underwood 29/10 #272837 |
| | White-throated Needletail
Eulah Creek |
|
| This morning ca. 10:00 I spotted a flock of 100-200 swifts (plus 3 smaller groups). ID shots show only WTNT, no other swifts. Reports from inland NSW for this season are still few and far between, and only of small numbers of WTNTs. This is my first sighting of the species this season, right on cue, after the first major rainfall since the first half of September. ID shot attached here; I also have taken overviews, one of which shows ca. 55 WTNTs in a single frame. |
| Michael Dahlem 29/10 #272836 |
| Tue 28 | | Parasitic Jaeger, Black-browed & Shy Albatross.
Long Reef Aquatic Reserve |
| Lots of birds off Long Reef this morning all traveling south including 14 Parasitic Jaegers, 26 Black-browed Albatross,6 Shy Albatross,Thousands of Short-tailed and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters all traveling south also 2 Little terns on the island and 1 Pomarine Jaeger |
| Michael Ronan 28/10 #272835 |
| Sun 26 | | Black-chinned Honeyeater
Teatree Creek, Elland, SW of South Grafton |
| Honeyeater heard calling. |
| Greg Clancy, Russell Jago and Clive Heywood Barker (Black-necked Stalkers) 31/10 #272852 |
| | Mangrove Honeyeater, Brahminy KIte,
Saltwater Islet, Bundjalung National Park |
| Honeyeater heard calling and Kite observed in distance. |
| Greg Clancy, Russell Jago and Clive Heywood Barker (Black-necked Stalkers) 31/10 #272851 |
| | White-eared Monarch, Varied Triller, Little Shrike-thrush
Woody Head, Bundjalung National Park |
| Monarch, Triller and Shrike-thrush observed along Woody Head Road. |
| Greg Clancy, Russell Jago and Clive Heywood Barker (Black-necked Stalkers) 31/10 #272850 |
| | Yellow Rosella
Condobolin |
| Just as my team Dunbogan Drongos were finishing the twitchathon in my backyard hoping in vain for a Silvereye two parrots flew into a tree in my yard. One was a Ringneck but its mate was a Yellow Rosella. Huge surprise to see this here and only my second ever record in the Lachlan Shire |
| Warren Chad 28/10 #272834 |
| | Glossy Black Cockatoos
Coopernook State Forest |
|
| On Coopernook Forest Way. Lat -31.77763 Long 152.5802 |
| Trevor Banks 26/10 #272819 |
| Sat 25 | | Rufous Scrub-bird
Coombadjha Road, Washpool National Park |
| Bird heard calling near road. |
| Greg Clancy, Russell Jago and Clive Heywood Barker (Black-necked Stalkers) 31/10 #272849 |
| | Little Bronze-Cuckoo, Hooded Robin, Varied Sittella, Cicadabird,
Severn River Nature Reserve, Ashford |
|
| Bronze-Cuckoo and Cicadabird heard calling, Hooded Robin pair observed at adjacent property 'Lilydale', small group of Sittellas observed |
| Greg Clancy, Russell Jago and Clive Heywood 31/10 #272848 |
| | Blue-billed Duck
Millers Dam, Ulan |
|
| Male Blue-billed Duck seen on Millers Dam, just north of Ulan during the Hunter Home Brewers Twitchathon race. First confirmed record of a Blue-bill in the Hunter for a few years so you can appreciate our excitement when we saw it! Spotted by Lucas Grenadier. |
| Mick Roderick, Lucas Grenadier and Drew Garnett 27/10 #272829 |
| | Singing Honeyeater
Kinchela St Hat Head |
| Flew into the yard and briefly rested on a tree branch in full view. Got mobbed by Noisy Miner and flew off toward the Gap and the National Park. Had not been sighted again. (Moderator's note: this is first record of a Singing Honeyeater for Port Macquarie LGA. Interestingly, another Singing Honeyeater was seen at Karagi Point, The Entrance on 16/10/2025 #272801 see below, first Central Coast LGA record. AKM). |
| Paul & Luke Shelley 27/10 #272825 |
| | Pectoral Sandpiper Curlew Sandpiper
Shoalhaven Heads Inlet |
|
| Early afternoon during the NSW Twitchathon two Pectoral Sandpipers were observed through scope roosting at high tide with 2 Curlew Sandpiper, Sharpies, Red Knots and Godwits. First observed earlier the same day by Scott Eaton who alerted us on his way out from the Inlet. Scott submitted a checklist on ebird.
ID shot added here. Birds were hidden over a dune behind vegetation. I believe pushed there by 6 horse riders who had been in the estuary before our arrival. We saw them at carpark. Many tracks. |
| Carla Jackett, Kim Touzel 26/10 #272823 |
| | Australian Painted Snipe
Back Forest Wetland, Shoalhaven |
| Two adult females. First reported by Ann Millard to FB group Shoalhaven Birders at about 5pm, I arrived 7pm to two other birders who pointed them out to me. I returned today (26th) at dawn and birds were still present. Two Latham’s Snipe seen also. Distant calling Rufous Songlark at dawn uncommon in region. eBird checklist |
| Chris Rehberg - Sydney Birding 26/10 #272818 |
| | Beach Stone Curlew
Urunga Lido |
| One Beach Stone Curlew flew over the Lido and boardwalk at Urunga. On the mudflats also, an Eastern Curlew, 1x Whimbrel and 4 Bar-tailed Godwits. Sent to Birdata. |
| Tony Peri 25/10 #272816 |
| | Beach Stone-Curlew
Long Reef Aquatic Reserve |
|
| First reported this morning. Still present on platform at 4 pm. (Moderator's Note: Another or the same Beach Stone-Curlew was seen on one of the Northern Sydney Beaches on 26/10 by Tim Marshall, and another at Bonnie Vale in Royal NP by Julie Keating on 7/10 #272824. AKM). |
| Tom Wilson 25/10 #272814 |
| | Black Honeyeater
Baradine, in town. |
|
| I also saw a Black Honeyeater !5 km to the east of Baradine on the 11th oct.at Bark Hut Dam, Pilliga Forest. |
| Bruce Thew 25/10 #272813 |
| Fri 24 | | Satin Flycatcher
Windsor Downs Nature Reserve--Hakea Trail |
| A pair of Satin Flycatchers recorded about 10 am by a group of six people surveying within Richmond Woodlands KBA. I saw the female facing and clearly the rounded orange ''bib'' distinct from the straight line across the Leaden's front. |
| Ian Bailey 27/10 #272833 |
| | Australian Painted Snipe
Coopernòok Road Wetland |
|
| At midday on 24/10, James Bennett made a random visit to the Coopernook Wetlands, and his eagle eyes saw two male Painted Snipe hiding beneath a large patch of sedge on the southern side of the wetland. He manage to get a confirming photo which he posted to the Hastings Birders Whats App page, thus enabling birders from the Hastings and Central Coast Birders (who were visiting the Region), not to mention Birders here for the Twitchathon, to see these rare birds. The Snipe were still there during the next two days. It is an interesting coincidence that another pair turned up near Shoalhaven Heads on the same day #272818 see below! Great work by James in finding the Snipe and getting the first confirming photo, better photos have since been taken! eBird checklist |
| James Bennett per Alan Morris 27/10 #272828 |
| | Curlew Sandpiper and Pectoral Sandpiper
Boyters Lane North, Jerseyville |
|
| From 21-24 October , 28 members of Central Coast Birders were on camp at South West Rocks, and each day, 4 Sharpies were reported from the biggest pond at the Northern end of Boyters Lane. On Friday morning, Jan Mohandas and Christina Port photographed the Sharpies but did not get around to closely checking the photos. Later that morning Sonia Boughton photographed the same four birds, checked her photos and through help with Aust. Bird Identification and other birders, was able to confirm that one of the four was a Curlew Sandpiper and another was a Pectoral Sandpiper. A subsequent re-examination of CC members photos showed that Jan Mohandas had photographed the Curlew Sandpiper early that morning and John Davis had a reasonable photo of a Pectoral Sandpiper taken on 22/4/2025. Dave Robson found ge had good photos of the Curlew & Pectoral Sandpipers on 23/10. Many thanks for Sonia's determined observation to correctly identify these birds! Jan took this photo that shows a Curlew Sandpiper on the left and one of the other three is presumably a Pectoral. Check Sonia's eBird list for better photos. eBird checklist |
| Sonia Boughton, Jan Mohandas John Davis & Alan Morris 26/10 #272820 |
| | Wandering Whistling-Duck
Yarrie Lake, Narrabri |
|
| 2 Birds seen in the Wetlands behind the lake. Rare visitor to this Region. eBird checklist |
| Mary Wheeler 25/10 #272815 |
| Wed 22 | | Greater Sooty Owl
278 Mulvena Rd Larnook (south-east of Kyogle) |
| Heard the call at 8.10pm |
| Max Watt 22/10 #272811 |
| Tue 21 | | Wandering Tattler
Blue bay rock platform |
|
| It is Unusual to see a Wandering Tattler at Blue Bay, usually there is one in summer residence at Soldiers Point Reef, but no where else on the Central Coast LGA. eBird checklist |
| Bruce Ward -Smith 24/10 #272812 |
| | Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove
Blackbutt Reserve, Newcastle |
|
| Male RCFD found whilst leading an Aussie Bird Count walk this morning in Blackbutt (and no, they only keep Superbs). Second record for Newcastle LGA that I can find; the first being a juvenile that hit a window at Tighes Hill 11 Oct 2014 that was taken into care but later died. |
| Mick Roderick 21/10 #272808 |
| Sun 19 | | White-fronted Chat
Partridge Creek Pump Station Site, Port Macquarie |
| An adult male White-fronted Chat was seen and photographed by Will James, as reported on eBird, on 19/10/2025, in a dead Swamp Oak in the swamp at Partridge Creek. The is the first sighting within the Port Macquarie LGA area since 26/1 - 8/2/25, when 4 birds were seen at Lake Innes by Tim Morris et al. However before that, the last sighting was in 2002, and the last sighting in the Kempsey LGA area was in 2000. In the 1980s there was an isolated population of White-fronted Chats living in the lower Macleay area, mostly in the saltmarsh areas but this population gradually died away. The furthest north population of White-fronted Chats in the NSW coastal area now is in Swan Bay, Port Stephens. eBird checklist |
| Will James per Alan Morris 26/10 #272821 |
| | Whimbrel
South West Rocks Creek Lagoon |
| Since a squashed pipe has been replaced, the lagoon has become an important roost site for Eastern Curlew and Whimbrel. Bar-tailed Godwit and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper use it to feed when the river mud flats become inundated as the tide rises.
About 4 years ago Liam Murphy recorded 22 Eastern Curlew.
This year my counts have been;
16th Sep. 25 Eastern Curlew, 11 Bar-tailed Godwit.
18th Sep 1 E C, 5 Whimb. 1 B-t God.
30th Sep. 15 E C, 8 Whimb.21 B-t God.
2nd. Oct.19 E C. 12 Whimb, 16 B-t God.
19h. Oct 23 E C, 53 Whimb, 29 B-t God. eBird checklist |
| Ian Bradhaw 21/10 #272809 |
| Sat 18 | | Freckled Duck
Broadwater Swamp, Cattai |
|
| We observed four Freckled Ducks in a large wetland on private property in Broadwater swamp, Cattai. On the 19th and 20th they were found in a publicly accessible wetland further down the valley next to Wiseman's Ferry Road (ebird hotspot "Kangaroo Swamp"). There is a previous birdline Freckled Duck record in this area from 2013. eBird checklist |
| James Hunt and Veeraj Sharma 21/10 #272807 |
| | Magpie Goose
Crowsnest Swamp, Coldstream River |
| Two birds in flight over wetland where they usually breed. None observed in reeds as visit was only brief. |
| Greg Clancy 19/10 #272805 |
| | Black Kite, Whistling Kite, Torresian Crow
N of Brushgrove, Woodford Island |
|
| 12+ Black Kites and 1 Whistling Kite in flight and perched on a fence or the ground at a sugar cane field being harvested. A large number of Crows also present. |
| Greg Clancy 19/10 #272804 |
| Thu 16 | | Singing Honeyeater
The Entrance North |
| Another western bird at the beach! Chance encounter with a Singing Honeyeater in the Coast Banksias today. The first Central Coast record! |
| Nick Carson 16/10 #272801 |
| Wed 15 | | Flame Robin
Cornwallis Road, Cornwallis |
|
| A co-operative adult male - hopping a long a roadside fenceline.
-33.585958, 150.805745 |
| Tony Palliser 17/10 #272803 |
| | Little Bronze-Cuckoo
Coutts Crossing Village |
|
| Adult male Bronze-Cuckoo in Foambark tree in village yard. Heard calling in yard on 14 October by Clive Heywood Barker and on 13/10 by me in the village #272797. (Moderator's Note: There are a few around, as according to eBird, 2 birds were seen at Balls Rd Bellbrook, in the Upper Macleay Valley by Paul Wood & Matt Hinze, on 11/10/2025), but others also were present on 4/10 (Tuckean Swamp), 5/10 (Lismore and South Grafton #272780) and 11/10 (Palmers Rd Terragon), demonstrating a tight movement south. AKM) |
| Greg Clancy 15/10 #272800 |
| Mon 13 | | Little Corella, Little Bronze-Cuckoo
Coutts Crossing Village |
|
| 15+ Little Corellas feeding at flowers of Silky Oaks in backyards in village, appeared to be feeding at and not on the flowers at 08:30 hrs. HANZAB states that the species eats flowers among other foods but not pollen or nectar which these birds seemed to be accessing. A couple of flowers had been nipped off but this may have been done by Rainbow Lorikeets that are known to do this. One Little Bronze-Cuckoo heard calling at the edge of the village was the first for the season at this location. |
| Greg Clancy 13/10 #272797 |
| Sun 12 | | Whiter-throated Nightjar
Kent Street, Sydney CBD |
| A White-throated Nightjar was found on the ground in Kent St Sydney and Gillian from WIRES report that it came into care, I have been advised that the bird has quickly recovered, and the good news is that it is being released back into the wild tonight, at an appropriate site where White-throated Nightjars are known to occur. |
| per Alan Morris & Gillian from WIRES 14/10 #272799 |
| | Magpie Goose
Coldstream Wetland |
| 5+ Geese were observed in brief check of the wetland. More than likely a large number present as the 500+ that were at the Big River Way, Clarenza have not been recorded there for some weeks and are known to breed on the Coldstream Wetlands. |
| Greg Clancy 12/10 #272796 |
| | White-necked Heron
Sweeneys Creek, near Ulmarra |
|
| Most wetlands in the Coutts Crossing, Grafton and Ulmarra area had at least one White-necked Heron present with a flock of 34+ at Sweeny's Creek. |
| Greg Clancy 12/10 #272795 |
| Sat 11 | | Wandering Whistling-Duck
Wetland S of Round Mountain Road, off Lawrence Road |
| 6 Whistling-Ducks loafing at edge of water. Observers first record at this location. Others reported at Lawrence egret colony swamp in recent days. |
| Greg Clancy 12/10 #272794 |
| Fri 10 | | Glossy Black Cockatoo
Morgans Creek near Thomas St Tennis Courts, Revesby Heights |
|
| I was notified by my partner who was undertaking bush regeneration in the area of Glossy Black Cockatoos feeding on Allocasuaria littoralis. They were first observed in the morning around 8:30am, and were still there when I went to look at them at 3pm. I observed 3 individuals, two adults (male and female) and one juvenille. |
| Sarah Cardenzana 10/10 #272792 |
| Tue 7 | | Terek Sandpiper & Beach stone-curlew
Port Hacking NSW |
| 3/10/2025 Beach Stone-curlew seen at Bonnie Vale Campground, Royal National Park.
7/10/2025 Terek sandpiper seen on Deeban Spit roosting with eastern curlews and bar tailed godwits |
| Julie Keating 27/10 #272824 |
| | Rufous Whistler, Latham’s Snipe, Mistletoebird
Barton Park South--Landing Lights Wetland |
| A few locally uncommon birds. Male Rufous Whistler hanging around singing on bike path (down near where Buff-banded Rails were reported about a year back - on bend near newish footbridge over canal). Mistletoebird female seen there too. Latham’s Snipe flushed from grasses between canal and walking track on the overgrown side. eBird checklist |
| Chris Rehberg / Sydney Birding 7/10 #272786 |
| Mon 6 | | Letter-winged Kite
Norah Head, Central Coast |
|
| Not my observation but much discussed on Facebook. See screenshot. First report for Central Coast LGA. (Moderator's Note: Initially considered to be the first report for NSW since 18 were seen in NSW at Narriearra National park, Tibooburra, near the Homestead by James Bennett et al on 15/11/2024, however on 6/9/2025, a single bird was seen from the Carypundy Bird Hide in Narrriearra NP on 6/9/2025 by Gary Neill, as per eBird. The record is subject to review by NSWORAC. AKM) |
| Shaun Harris via Native Birds in Australia FB Group - shared here by Chris Rehberg 7/10 #272787 |
| | Pale-vented Bush-hen
Dirty Creek Range, S of Halfway Creek |
| Pair calling loudly in wetland at 1824 hrs. |
| Russell Jago per Greg Clancy 6/10 #272785 |
| | Pheasant Coucal
Willunga Track, Ku-ring-Gai NP |
| 2 birds (maybe a 3rd) calling from the scrub to the north of the track approx. 11:30am. Also 3 Glossy Black Cockatoos (2 Ad, 1 noisy youngster) and a singing Chestnut-rumped Heathwren eBird checklist |
| Tom Wilson 6/10 #272784 |
| Sun 5 | | Eastern Koel, Channel-billed Cuckoo
Coutts Crossing Village |
| Both cuckoos heard calling in the early morning were the first returning birds for this site. |
| Greg Clancy 5/10 #272781 |
| | Little Bronze-Cuckoo, Eastern Koel, Australian Owlet-nightjar, Shining Bronze-Cuckoo
South Grafton Water Reserve (Abattoir TSR) |
| The Little Bronze-cuckoo heard calling was the observers' first record of the season. The Owlet-nightjar called during the heat of the day. The Eastern Koel was the observers' first record for the season shared with a bird heard calling at Coutts Crossing earlier. The Channel-billed Cuckoos, adult male Eastern Shike-tit and Black-chinned Honeyeaters were also present again today. eBird checklist |
| Greg Clancy, Rodney Falconer 5/10 #272780 |
| Sat 4 | | Channel-billed Cuckoo, Brown Treecreeper, Eastern Shrike-tit, Black-chinned Honeyeater
South Grafton Water Reserve (Abattoir TSR) |
|
| Birds observed/heard during banding operations at the site. The Channel-billed Cuckoo was the first local record for most observers, the Eastern Shrike-tit, although known at the site, is rare close to Grafton, the Brown Treecreeper has declined at the site and apart from a single bird banded in 2019 was thought to be locally extinct. A Dusky Woodswallow and a pair of Little Lorikeets observed at the site are generally rare locally. Black-chinned Honeyeaters are regular at the site. eBird checklist |
| Greg Clancy, Rodney Falconer, Richard Harris, Clive Barker, Russell Jago 5/10 #272779 |
| Fri 3 | | Sahul Cicadabird
Henry Kendal Reserve, Laurieton |
| On Friday 3/10, 20+ members of the Hastings Birdwatchers on the regular outing led by Peter Hudd, heard a Cicadabird calling at the start of the Laurieton -Lakehaven walking track that goes around the edge of Queens Lake, the bird was again heard calling on the return trip, but still not seen. Subsequently Erin Wise reported a Cicadabird on Morton Creek Rd, Beachwood on 3/10, another was reported from Deanes Creek Rd Tionee near Taree on 5/10 by Will Brown, at Heatherbrae on 6/10 by Sage Rundman, on 7/10 at Partridge Ck Fernbank by Will James & at Ravensdale, Yarramalong by Louise Salter, and at Ourimbah Creek Rd Ourimbah today by Darren Earnshaw. It does look like that the birds were moving on a wide front south over a few short days. I am aware that there have been at least two reports much earlier but that movement seems to be unrelated to this bunch! eBird checklist |
| per Alan Morris 8/10 #272790 |
| | Spangled Drongo, Olive-backed Oriole
Eastlakes golf course |
| A good selection of passage migrants today including 3 Sacred Kingfisher, 2 Rufous Whistler, 2 Scarlet Myzomela, 2 Latham’s Snipe, 1 Spangled Drongo and an Olive-backed Oriole. Snipe have been very scarce here in recent years. |
| David Mitford 6/10 #272783 |