...more Griffith, NSW

Major Mitchell's Cockatoo
This was one of my top target birds for the trip - in fact since I became aware of Australian birds. Seven took up from a tree in the Griffith golf course, circled the airport, where I was, and returned to the golf course. Three more MMCs where seen later at the town lookout.

Major Mitchell's Cockatoos

Major Mitchell's Cockatoos

Blue Bonnet
I had my first two encounters of Blue Bonnets today. A family group of five were around the golf course and airport and two pairs further along the road - past the helicopter place onto the gravel road.

Blue Bonnet

Apostlebirds - two of 15.

Fivebough Swamp, Leeton, NSW

Red-kneed Dotterel

Australian Crake

Yellow-billed Spoonbill and Royal Spoonbill

Whiskered Tern

White-fronted Chat

Morning two of my trip was spent in Leeton with the main aim of seeing an Australasian Bittern at Fivebough Swamp. I would of taken hearing one too but neither site nor sound materialised. Doesn't matter - there were much fun to be had besides including a few more lifers.

NB: If you take on the perimeter walk (left turn at the end of the bittern hyde track), as I did, you might be disappointed to find the path impassable tantalisingly close to your car! Had to turn back and cover the 2KMs or so in reverse. Spewing!

Griffith, NSW

Apostlebird

Baillon's Crake

Australian Crake

Ringneck barnardi

Black-tailed Native-hen

Swamp Harrier (female)
I've got a couple of weeks off work and am taking the chance to get inland for some new species. First stop: Griffith. I had just enough time to visit nearby Lake Wyangan which was excellent. Between town and the lake I added four lifers (Black-tailed Native-hen, Australian Crake, Baillon's Crake, Apostlebird) and a subspecies (Ringneck barnardi) to my list. More tomorrow...

Year list boost

A cheeky little trip out to West SOG this afternoon added 4 to my year list. Starting at West Canvey Marsh with the Pink-footed geese and White-fronted geese (I saw 1 of the 4 reported birds) then to Wat-tyler where the 2 female Scaup were still present. I also picked up a Yellow-legged Gull which was handily roosting next to a Lesser Black-Backed Gull and Herring Gulls, allowing good comparisons.

Wollongong Pelagic

Shy/White-capped Albatross. Note the darker step in the primary wedge created by darker P9 and P10. The light wedge is much more wedge-shaped on a regular Shy.

Flesh-footed Shearwater

Sunfish
Despite some pretty good looking conditions we didn't encounter much in the way of rarities. Was still a privilege to be on the boat as always.

Good start to the day

My plans were scuppered today when I spotted a female/1st winter Black Redstart flitting around the front gardens and roof tops of Galton Road (Westcliff, essex) on my way to work. It bought back memories of the waxwings I found back in March 2009, also smack bang in the middle of surburbia....Which was nice.