An interesting time on the rock platform at the moment with the Double-banded Plovers in full breeding colours ready to head off to New Zealand to breed, and North-South migratory species arriving in the remnants of their Sunday best, including Red-necked Stints, Grey-tailed Tattler, Curlew Sandpiper and Red Knot.
The Swift Parrot is very active feeding on blossoms and lerp high in the tree tops, and moves constantly from tree to tree with a very fast, direct flight. They are endemic to Tasmania, wintering on the Central Coast of NSW only when conditions are favourable, and they are endangered with only around a thousand breeding pairs. So I was pleased to see them fairly close-up and have the opportunity to grab some photos, as I’ve only been aware of them a couple of times passing overhead – alerted by their distinctive flight call.
Still exploring the Central Coast, I pass the turn off to Chain Valley Bay on my way to and from work, but this was the first time I turned down the track. Lots of things in flower, it felt rather spring-like until the clouds drifted back over.
Lots of birds high in the tree blossoms including swift parrots, but none presented photo opportunities. I consoled myself with a group of Variegated Fairywrens, one of which was already in breeding plumage.
Yellow-faced Honeyeater
White-naped Honeyeater (Juvenile)
Little Wattlebird
Our first blue-sky day in weeks so I crept away from essay marking for an hour in the Munmorah Conservation Area, ten minutes from home. Honeyeaters were very busy in the flowering Swamp Mahoganies and Melaleucas, but there were also plenty of heath plants in flower including Lambertia, Banksia and a very strongly perfumed wattle. I had a brief but enjoyable walk along the Moonee Beach Firetrail off the Snapper Point Road.
On the way home I was distracted by a mixed group bathing in a roadside puddle. As well as the Yellow-faced Honeyeater and Easter Spinebill above there were Silvereyes and Superb Fairywrens. With all the water around at the moment, it’s interesting that this puddle was so popular.
Little and Long-billed Corellas pre-dawn
Photographs cannot capture the huge numbers of corellas in the trees at Gorokan before sunrise, with more flying in. The noise when they all took flight was incredible.
Fan-tailed Cuckoo
Grey Shrike-thrush
On way way back from purchasing a ‘smart’ TV, I stopped in the at the sewerage treatment works. There were good number of birds on the water: White-headed Stilt, Chestnut Teal, Australasian Grebe, Black Swans, Little Pied Cormorants, Purple Swamp Hen, White-faced Heron, Eastern Great Egret. And more bush birds warbling in the bush, and honeyeaters feasting overhead than I was able to see, let alone photograph.
