Moderators' Note

Birders are encouraged to post lists to eBird Australia, where sightings are incorporated into the BirdLife Australia Atlas. To do this you need to register with eBird Australia then login. All Regent Honeyeater and Swift Parrot reports should be forwarded to Mick Roderick to assist in the recovery of these severely declining species: mick.roderick@birdlife.org.au. Note we will not be publishing reports of Accipiter raptors (Collared Sparrowhawk, Grey/Brown Goshawks) or Square-tailed Kites unless they are in unusual locations or are seen with unusual prey etc.

• Reports
• Criteria

June 2026

Sun 7		Cocos Booby Marks Point - Cocos Booby Stakeout
		Recurring bird. Bird still present to north of Marks Point Road, visible with scope from high point of road (western end). Seen initially on ‘blue’ boat (only one there - local advised seems to be regularly on that one) but flew short distance west and perched with cormorants on one of the larger crafts.
		Deryk Engel 7/6 #273093
Sat 6		Swift Parrot Crawford Rd., Cooranbong
		Pair flew over before 8am this morning heading north. Distinctive call was my first hint that they were there.
		Paul Schofield 10/6 #273094
Fri 5		Common Diving-petrel Long Reef Aquatic Reserve
		Higlight of a seawatch from Long Reef this afternoon was a Common Diving-petrel flying north past the island quite a few years since i have seen one off Sydney.
		Michael Ronan 5/6 #273091
Thu 4		Plumed Whistling Duck Goolgowie water pumping station
		About 60 birds present yesterday as I drove past visible from the highway just west of the big roundabout on the edge of town. Havent seen too many of these out here lately due to continuing dry weather
		Warren Chad 5/6 #273090
Mon 1		Ground Cuckoo Shrike Wyangala Dam
		while doing bird surveys just a few km west of the dam wall three GCS were seen near the main road back to Cowra. Very rare to see these birds this far East
		Warren Chad 2/6 #273088

May 2026

Sun 31		White-fronted Honeyeater Capertee National Park
		One bird seen (briefly) feeding in Ironbarks around the Capertee Homestead. White-plumed Honeyeaters and Red Wattlebirds also present.
		Tiffany Mason 2/6 #273087
Tue 26		Cocos Booby Marks Point, Lake Macquarie
		Female bird, initially thought to be a Brown Booby, first found by HBOC member Michael Murray while fishing in a small boat off the marina on 17th May. After appearing in eBird lists (and Brown Booby is a rare bird in Lake Macquarie in any case) Dion Hobcroft suggested that it was a Cocos Booby. Subsequently, numerous high quality photos emerged and the bird has been confirmed as a Cocos Booby, which is accepted by BARC would be the first record for Australia. Discussion about the ID can be found on the NSW Rare Bird Alert Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nswrarebirdalert It is best viewed from Marks point Road, looking north to the moored yachts and motorboats on which is loafs often, at -33.055417, 151.640840. Photograph by Steph Owen.
		Mick Roderick on behalf of many observers but most Michael Murray and Dion Hobcroft 28/5 #273085
		Pink-eared Duck Rosendahl Reservoir, Port Macquarie
		At 14:00 this afternoon 3 Pink-eared Ducks were observed close to 4 Great Crested Grebes near the centre of the reservoir. eBird checklist
		Ian Kerr 26/5 #273084
Sun 24		Spotted Harrier Mount Penang Parklands
		Adult Spotted Harrier initially seen perched in paddock before taking flight as it was harassed by Aust Ravens and Noisy Miners and lost to view.
		Andrew Robinson 24/5 #273083
Fri 22		Northern Giant Petrel (2) Munmorah State Conservation Area--Wybung Head
		Pair of NGPE seen in quick succession close to the headland around midday. Both birds heading south into strong southerly winds.
		Andrew Robinson, Dean Purcell 22/5 #273080