Wader counts &
incidental birding in the Clarence Valley,
February 14-16th 2010
By Simon Clayton
14th February 2010, Gibraltar Reserve, The Broadwater, high
tide. 0530-1300hrs.
Weather:
Fine, light NE wind
Observers:
Simon Clayton, Peter Ward, Geoff.
A noisy morning start
at Gibraltar Range, with a Masked Owl
shrieking before first light, followed by Brush
Cuckoo. Golden-headed Cisticola
& Tawny Grassbird adding to the dawn chorus
before driving to Grafton.
I exchanged glances
with a White-headed Pigeon flying alongside the
car in town, and headed to Maclean to meet Peter, Geoff & the
boat.
The Broadwater was more
fresh than brackish as the tinny planed across towards the first
roost. Common Terns were the mass of the Terns,
Australian Pelicans and Black Swans
made up the obvious, bigger birds. The slight wash made it
difficult to get a good fix on the birds, so we drifted closer.
The sandbar was totally, but only just submerged, apparently
inhibiting small shorebirds from roosting.
Crested,
Caspian and Little Terns became
apparent and some Silver Gulls appeared before
we moved off towards the next mass of birds on the other shore
of the expanse.
Great, Pied,
Little Black & Little Pied Cormorant were all present,
with Darter. An Eastern Osprey
flew over before a Whistling Kite appeared
hunting around the margins.
Royal
Spoonbills roosted around the edges, with >40 visible
in a short period. Eastern Great & Intermediate Egret
shared the viewable margins with White Ibis and
White-faced Heron. The aquatic vegetation made
progress difficult, and with the absence of waders to count for
Shorebirds 2020 monitoring, we headed back.
A Swamp Harrier
cruised past just meters away as I got in the car and
Wedge-tailed Eagle on the way back to Gibraltar Reserve
added to the Raptors.
15th February 2010 Gibraltar Reserve, Clarence Estuary, high
tide. 0600-1630hrs
Weather:
Fine, light NE wind
Observers:
Simon Clayton, Gary Eggins, Greg Clancy, Russell Jago
A small flock of
Whistling-Ducks (possibly Wandering) flew up
the river as we drove past, before we boarded the boat. Onboard,
we headed around the back of Dart Island to a regular wader
roost, but the tide was too high, there were few birds.
Crested & Caspian Tern, Eastern Curlew,
and several Bar-tailed Godwits were present,
with Whimbrel and Masked Lapwing
also congregating. A Striped Honeyeater called
from the mangroves, with Mangrove Honeyeater
and Mangrove Gerygone present. Pied
Oystercatchers were also recorded in pairs.
Pacific Golden
Plover was distantly visible before we took the boat
out to the midwall, where the engine failed. We counted
Crested Terns and Cormorants as we bobbed around on the
incoming tide.After a few minutes of gazing at the lifeguard
station and imagining newspaper headlines, Russ got the engine
going and we motored to Rabbit Island.
A large flock of waders
took flight as we approached, spooked by a White-bellied
Sea-Eagle. They circled and landed again to be counted.
More Whimbrel, Eastern Curlew, and Bar-wits.
Greenshank appeared further up the estuary,
with Grey-tailed Tattler and Terek
Sandpiper lurking in the Mangroves.
A single Red-capped
Plover was a low count, with more Terek Sandpipers an
encouraging sight.
Sacred
Kingfisher & Maned Duck appeared on
our way to Lake Wooloweyha. A larger wader roost was found,
along with Little Egret, Gull-billed
and Little Tern.
A Greater Sand Plover
was found among some Pacific Golden Plovers,
and then a pair of Grey Plovers. Great
Knot, Red-necked Stint, Curlew
Sandpiper were counted, along with Bar &
Black-tailed Godwit.
We returned the boat to
Peter & Geoff before I dropped in at Cowans Pond on the way
home. A few Pacific Black Ducks were present, with
Latham's Snipe and Comb-crested Jacana also
recorded.
16th February 2010 Gibraltar Reserve, 0600-1200hrs
Weather:
Fine, light NE wind
Observers:
Simon Clayton
A brief morning
monitoring the reserve, with Logrunner and
Spectacled Monarch being found in some
regenerating rainforest close to our cabin.
White-throated Gerygone, Grey Fantail, Silvereye and
Spangled Drongo all calling and feeding.
Lewin's & Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Superb & Red-backed
Fairy-wren also seen.
The more regular
Black-faced Monarch was found near the creek
and an Azure Kingfisher was hunting Rainbowfish
in the pools. Satin Bowerbird & Olive-backed Oriole
in the forest canopy and Red-browed Finch on
the forest edge. Lewin's Rail called from the
gully and Brown Quail with juveniles being
flushed from the grass. Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Rainbow
Lorikeet and Glossy Black Cockatoo made an appearance
and Grey Goshawk & Black Shouldered Kite were
seen hunting over the reserve before lunch.
A total of over 92 species
were recorded over these three short days. Other species seen
but not mentioned in the text include: Noisy Miner
Pied & Grey
Butcherbird, Laughing Kookaburra
White-throated
Needletail Striated Thornbill
Grey
Shrike-thrush
Golden & Rufous
Whistler Leaden Flycatcher
Willie Wagtail
Australian
Raven
Torresian Crow
Welcome
Swallow.
Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica
Eastern Great Egret Aredea modesta