| Sun 21 | | Australian Gannet
Tatlows Beach, Stanley |
| Freshly-dead b/w bird. Bullet hole in breast. |
| Richard Ashby, Hazel Britton, Sue Dawe. 22/10 #235842 |
| | White-faced Storm Petrel
Stanley Wharf |
| Single bird killed by collision with chain-link fence. Similar occurrence some months ago. Three Short-tailed Shearwaters from previous season. |
| Richard Ashby, Hazel Britton 22/10 #235841 |
| Thu 18 |  | White-winged Tern
Smithton Sewage Ponds |
| Again single bird (see 29 Sep). Also single Pink-eared Duck and 26 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. |
| Richard Ashby, Hazel Britton 22/10 #235840 |
| Tue 16 | | Barn Owl
Flowerdale, just sw of Wynyard. |
| Extremely dessicated bird on farmland, 3-4km from Michael Hyland's sighting of 17 Jan this year. Cause of death not obvious. Wing measurement low end of male range, extreme bottom of female range |
| Richard Ashby 16/10 #235782 |
| Mon 15 | | Swift Parrot, Eurasian Skylark
Southwest National Park--Melaleuca |
| While watching for arriving birds at the Rallinga processing plant, a single Swift Parrot flew S overhead, calling. This is my first sighting of the species in Tasmania, and a funny place to see one. A Eurasian Skylark was additionally present for at least this day in the burn area (flagged as rare by eBird). eBird checklist |
| James Bailey 21/10 #235834 |
| Sun 14 | | Blue Petrel, Light-mantled Albatross, Mottled Petrel, Salvin's Albatross, Northern Royal Albatross
Eaglehawk Neck Pelagic Trip |
|
| Highlight of today's Inala Nature Tours trip was a Blue Petrel which foraged in the slick at very close range for an extended period then followed us back in to shallow water (~50 fathoms) as we returned to port. Also a brief showing of a juvenile/immature Light-mantled Albatross, a fly-by from a very early Mottled Petrel, an adult Salvin's Albatross and a Northern Royal Albatross. 5 White-headed Petrel, a Brown Skua and 20+ great albatrosses also seen on a very busy and exciting day. |
| Paul Brooks and all aboard the Pauletta 16/10 #235783 |
| Sat 13 | | Latham's Snipe
Strathgordon |
| Five birds seen near a man-made rockery and swampy, thick vegetation beside the lawns near the edge of Lake Pedder below the motel and restaurant area. Positive ID from a photo taken by Margaret Cashman-Bailes. |
| Els Wakefield for Margaret Cashman-Bailes 14/10 #235765 |
| Fri 12 | | Blue-billed Duck
Hopeless Plains, south of Smithton. |
| 18 birds today at this site which has the sp. 67% of the time for monthly visits in the last 4y. Best flock so far, 35. |
| Richard Ashby 12/10 #235750 |
| Sun 7 | | Black-faced Cormorant (92)
The Three Sisters - outer island |
| 92 Black-faced Cormorants on the southern end of the outer island including 40 birds on nests. Observed from the lookout on the old Penguin - Ulverstone Highway, so may be more birds on the eastern side. |
| Frank Wilson 7/10 #235687 |
| Thu 4 | | Australasian Gannet
Devonport Bluff |
| Solitary Australasian Gannet flying west just off the Devonport Bluff at 9.15 am. |
| Shane Pinner 4/10 #235650 |
| | Swift Parrot
Mt Nelson Oval |
|
| On a short walk this morning to the Mt Nelson oval I counted 36 swifties in 5 smaller groups feeding in flowering bluegums and blackgums along Rialannah Rd and around oval. I have seen and heard more this year than in any other year - lived here 8 years. |
| Jason Bolch 4/10 #235643 |
| Mon 1 | | Swift Parrot
Adventure Bay |
| About 30 birds in flowering gum just outside Adventure Bay general store. |
| Falk Wicker 1/10 #235621 |
| | Hudsonian Godwit
Orielton Lagoon--Greenshank Bay |
| Bird seen together with 20 Bar-tailed Godwits on mudflat off the golf course. Access via Bay Road/Esplanade. |
| Falk Wicker 1/10 #235620 |
| Sun 30 | | Swift Parrot
Spring Beach |
| Up to 4 birds (at least 2) foraging in flowering eucalypts up the road from the beach. eBird checklist |
| Paul Brooks 1/10 #235614 |
| | Eastern Curlew
East end Anthony Beach, Stanley |
| 24 birds at roost with one Whimbrel , possibly one Bar-tailed Godwit and a sprinkling of Red-necked Stints. |
| Richard Ashby 30/9 #235605 |
| | White-winged Tern
Smithton Sewage Ponds |
| Single bird in non-breeding plumage feeding in very distinctive low, bouyant flight, dipping to surface to retrieve morsels. Observed for 30min, made copious notes. ID confident but passing photographers may like to verify. Sp. seen here 10y ago by Peter and Hazel Britton who had multi-continent experience of terns. This excellent duck venue today almost bereft of ducks except for multiple flocks of shelduck chicks. Presume other sp. nesting elswhere. |
| Richard Ashby 30/9 #235604 |
| | Swift Parrot
Mt Nelson - Rialannah Road |
|
| Several swift parrots observed for 30 minutes foraging in bluegum and blackgum trees adjacent to Bicentenial Park. Their calls have been noticeable for the past week. |
| Jason Bolch 30/9 #235596 |
| | Australasian Bittern
Murphys Flat Wetlands |
|
| Watched it gradually feed along the opposite bank of the Derwent for about 30 minutes. At one stage it caught a small fish. eBird checklist |
| Rob Hamilton 30/9 #235593 |
| Sat 29 | | Nankeen Night Heron
Sisters Creek, Sisters Beach |
| Single bird flushed. Sp. not seen here for three years, possibly lack of observer vigilance rather than absence of bird(s). |
| Richard Ashby 29/9 #235581 |
| Tue 25 | | Hudsonian Godwit
Orielton Lagoon--Greenshank Bay |
|
| I was examining the Bar Tails, noticing their numbers were rising, and soon picked out what I thought to be the Black Tailed Godwit of the last two seasons. The bird raised its head from feeding to reveal a slim, upwards curved bill. Creeping closer, I soon realised that this year's beloved Hudsonian Godwit was back! Given its bill, graceful proportions and quite different behaviour (including the almost Phalarope style spinning as it fed), I was quite certain of the identification... but when the Godwits flew, the ID was confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt. Incredible to see one of my favourite waders of all! eBird checklist |
| George Vaughan 25/9 #235547 |
| Mon 24 | | White-necked Heron
Creekton Lagoon, Saundridge Rd. Cressy |
| Single bird feeding in roadside lagoon. |
| Bill Scott-Young 24/9 #235537 |