Kattang Nature Reserve.

Kattang Nature Reserve is a track that goes to Point Perpendicular at Camden Haven on the mid-North coast of New South Wales. It is typical coastal scrub with lots of banksias etc. I did not see much at first so I thought it was going to be a bit of a dud, but I happened across a few Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoos, so that made me happy.

Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo (Calpytorhynchus funereus)

The Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo has a very long tail with yellow panels. doh! They have a pink eye-ring and the female has a larger yellow cheek patch.

Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo (Calpytorhynchus funereus)

Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris)

The Black-shouldered Kite likes open woodland and grassland. They are seen quite often around farmland with scattered trees. Theyu glide on raised wings and hover with their legs lowered and tail depressed. They drop on their prey feet-first with wings raised high over the back. They are very similar to the Nankeen Kestrel in their hunting behaviour. They eat mostly small rodents. They are common throughout Australia. (Source: “The Birds of Prey of Australia” by Stephen Debus.)

Dunbogan bird list

Little Wattlebird
Whipbird
Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo
Black-shouldered Kite
White-browed Scrubwren
Lewin’s Honeyeater
Crested Pigeon

Wallis Lake, Mid-north Coast.

Some birds from Forster, which is on Wallis Lake, situated at the Mid-north Coast of New South Wales. This is where the lake empties into the sea.

Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia)

I think this one is a non-breeding male or a young Caspian Tern because it does not have the full black top of the head. They are a rather large tern with a stout red bill. They are found in most continents all over the world. Their habitats are coastal areas, lakes, and large rivers. They feed on small fish that they catch by diving.

Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius)

There were three Pied Cormorant flying over the bridge. They are restricted to mainland Australia with some in New Zealand. Their habitat is coastal and inland bodies of water. They feed by diving under the water and chasing fish under the water. You can often see them spreading their wings to dry on shores.

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

This Osprey had been hanging on a light on the bridge for days. After I took these shots, it flew to a huge pine tree on the side of the lake, where a young one waited, screaming out to be fed.

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

Ospreys are distributed throughout most of the world. They feed mostly on fish, which they catch by plunging from above and grasping them in their talons and flying off to a roost, where they are eaten.

Manilla, North-west NSW.

Manilla is about fifty kilometers west of Tamworth. The river bank is a nice place to walk and check out the birds. There is also a weir about a kilometer up-stream which I am going to check out after lunch. Today there were not a lot of birds. I have been here before in spring when there were much more birds around. It is now going into Autumn so that is perfectly understandable.

Peaceful Dove (Geopelia placida)

Formerly Geopelia striata, the same as the Zebra Dove in Indonesia. I think it is the same dove, with different name. I am not sure why the striata was changed to placida.

Upside-down Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides)

There were two Nankeen Kestrels wheeling above the bridge, doing some wonderful flying. I managed to capture this one upside down. I think it looks cool.

Little Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax melanoleucos)

The Little Pied Cormorant is similar to the Pied Cormorant except that it has a short yellow bill, no bare throat skin, white over eye to bill and no black thigh stripes(no pants).

Superb Fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus)

I am pretty sure this is a female Superb Fairy-wren, but I am a bit rusty on Australian bird identification.

Manilla birds list for March 2013

White-plumed Honeyeater
Red-browed Finch
Peaceful Dove
Pacific Black Duck
Nankeen Kestrel
Little Pied Cormorant
Superb Fairy-wren
White-browed Scrubwren
Pied Currawong
White-winged Chough
Rainbow Lorikeet
Red-rumped Parrot
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Galah
Common Starling
Willy Wagtail
Welcome Swallow

Wallabadah Cemetery.

First stop heading out west from Newcastle was the Burning Mountain rest area, just west from Scone, still in the Upper Hunter Valley. Last time here I had seen a Wedge-tailed Eagle, so was hoping for another sighting. I did happen to see a Black-shouldered Kite hovering over the other side of the highway, some Australian Wood Ducks, Noisy Miners and Eastern Rosellas.

Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides)

I spent a few days at Wallabadah at the rest area. The Cemetery is just down the road and is a very worthwhile place to visit for birding. This morning there were not a great deal of birds around. Lots of Noisy Miners and Eastern Rosellas, as well as Australian King-Parrots were wheeling about over the fields and dead trees.

Pied Butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis)

The Pied Butcherbirds were in fine voice with their flute-like mellow notes. It is hard to say which is the better song-bird: the butcherbird or the magpie.

Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen)

Wallabadah birds list

Nankeen Kestrel
Pied Butcherbird
Noisy Miner
Austrlian King-Parrot
Eastern Rosella
Galah
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Welcome Swallow
Australian Magpie
Crested Pigeon