After the Floods at Shoalhaven Heads

Like many NSW rivers the Shoalhaven on the state’s south coast has been in flood a number of times this year. At Shoalhaven Heads the high water levels have opened this intermittent second channel of the river up to the ocean, reducing the area on which migratory and other water birds can roost. Despite this it was encouraging to see 12 of the endangered Eastern Curlews roosting on a distant sand bar during last week’s visit.

This Superb Fairy-wren was making the most of the prolific insect life amongst the debris washed up from the river during recent floods

While I was watching this large log travelled down the river at considerable speed, then slowed as it met the waters of the incoming tide.

Another of the many Superb Fairy-wrens feeding amongst the washed up logs.

This Red-capped Plover skips quickly away to be safely out of the reach of this photographer. It was feeding on a small sand-bar, shared with a number of fishermen taking advantage of the changed conditions.

Another Red-capped Plover on the sand-bar..

A Little Pied Cormorant dries his wings on another large log washed down the river during the floods.

Parrots eating clay

It is well documented that parrots in particular will eat clay, though the reasons for it remain obscure. A leading theory is that it provides a source of minerals, especially sodium, while others claim that the clay binds toxins in the bird’s diet. Clay is too fine to aid in grinding of food but some think it could line the digestive tract? Whatever the reason these Sulphur-crested Cockatoos were enjoying their muddy meal.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoos enjoying a meal of clay at Bull’s Camp Reserve, Blue Mountains, NSW

Ahhh! That’s good!

MUD Birders visit Conjola Creek

The Milton-Ulladulla Birdwatchers, known locally as the MUD Birders, are an active group making fortnightly trips to local hotspots. Conjola Creek flows into Lake Conjola on the NSW South Coast. It forms winding waterways and lagoons with low lying farmland surrounded by Conjola National Park.

The Eucalypt forests of Conjola National Park surround Conjola Creek farmlands and littoral Casuarinas line the waterways. The picture shows Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and Australian Ravens roosting.

A Laughing Kookaburra. Both waterbirds and bushbirds are seen in this area with 36 species counted at last week’s visit. Highlights included a White-necked Heron, numerous Chestnut Teal, Wood Ducks and Pacific Black Ducks, Cattle Egrets, a White-bellied Sea-Eagle, and Red-browed Finches.

The locals got involved in proceedings as well.

A group of Chestnut Teals. This wonderful swamp and pond is fenced and protected by the land-owner. Unfortunately we did not see the Lewin’s Rail recently reported here.

Superb Fairy-wren. Much of this area was under water in recent floods and the land is still water-logged but looking good and green. Recent months have seen small birds return in numbers, especially large flocks of Red-browed finches which completely vanished after the 2019/2020 bushfires. Groups of Superb Fairy-wrens have also reappeared.

The creek broadens as it get closer to the lake. At the other end the lake sporadically opens to the sea at its mouth.

Colourful South Coast Parrots

As I have indicated previously I only feed the parrots when asked and this has not been often due to a recent abundance of food following the rain. The trees and planting in our garden provide a variety of natural seed sources. But “asking” consists of King Parrots squawking at the back door or Rosellas who will sometimes feed from your hand. The parrots were hungry this week, it was the King Parrots who did the asking but before long it was Galahs who took control of the seed bowl.

King Parrots are not backward when it comes to asking for food and their approach indicates that they are used to being fed around the village.

But is not long before the Galahs arrive.

And Crimson Rosellas, this bird showing a beautiful mix of colours as it gains its adult colouring.

The Galahs take over and the other birds leave!

Another variation on the Crimson Rosella ‘transition to adult” colouring.

Bird recovery after the Currowan fire

The Currowan fire of New Year’s Day 2019/2020 reached the shores of Lake Conjola and pressed close against the villages of Cunjurong, Manyana and Bendalong. Only small fragments of bush were untouched. In the burnt out areas the good rains of the past two years have seen good recovery of the undergrowth. In other areas totally dead trees intersperse with those that are gradually recovering their crown foliage.

This area near Lake Conjola entrance was badly burnt in the Currawon fire. Despite good rain and plenty of water around recovery of the bird population has been slow.

A Chestnut Teal duck takes advantage of this pond’s food offerings; a pond that was often dry in previous years.

A young Grey Fantail feeds on insects attracted to the pond.

Rainstorm

The eastern states of Australia have seen a succession of thunderstorms, rain and even snow the past week. These pictures capture some of a group of birds utilising a particularly heavy thunder and rainstorm to take a bath. After fluttering and sliding in the rain across the topmost leaves of a large Pittosporum tree they settled down to finish their clean up.

A Rainbow Lorikeet completing it’s toilet.

A young Little Wattlebird (right) gets some tutoring on good hygiene from a parent (on the left).

In addition to this Satin Bowerbird the bathers included Lewin’s Honeyeaters and a Common Koel.

Lake Wallace

Lake Wallace is 10 minutes past Lithgow by car after crossing the Blue Mountains from Sydney. It is a convenient place to stop for lunch on the way to Cowra when I travel to the Cowra Woodland Bird Surveys. The lake is about two kilometers in length and was formed in 1978 when a dam was put across the Coxs River, to provide cooling water for the Wallerawang Power Station. The power station was decommissioned in 2015 and now the lake is a popular camping and caravan destination.

Musk Duck feediing on Lake Wallace

The lake attracts a wide range of water birds and can provide good views of Great Crested Grebes, Blue-billed and Musk Ducks.  There are usually large numbers of ducks but last week I could only find two Musk Ducks and one Hardhead. There were very few ducks on the dams on the way to Cowra and numbers are low in Sydney too. They must have moved to further west?

There were more White-browed Scrubwrens around than normal last week, at Lake Wallace and at Cowra.