Coal Point-Carey Bay Autumn Bird Survey by Tom Clarke

Striated Heron at Carey Bay Wetlands

Autumn 2017 bird surveys at Coal Point have been completed for all of the 7 bird monitoring sites established in the area.

A new addition to the Coal Point list was made when a juvenile Striated Heron was encountered at Carey Bay Wetlands. These birds are notoriously secretive yet still get reported moderately often around the tidal zones of Lake Macquarie, the Hunter Estuary and Port Stephens. Mostly they skulk about the shadows of mangroves and venture out at low tide to hunt over the exposed mud flats. The situation at Carey Bay does not completely fit this requirement with hardly any regular tidal influence to speak of. There are a few scattered Grey Mangroves however and this bird was most likely just exploring new ground after being kicked out by it parents. This sighting may well prove to be a once-off chance. 


A late sighting of 2 White-throated Needletails hawking low over the canopy of West Ridge provided some excitement. Firstly that their presence indicated a new weather system approaching (chasing aerial insects forced down in disturbed air) and secondly, that usually these summer migrants have all left by the end of March. The last time we encountered this species on a survey was in January 2014. This is the typical month that great numbers may be seen around here as they turn up with each approaching summer storm. 


Mixed foraging flocks of small bush-birds are forming as the cooler weather sets in. A flock consisting of Brown Thornbills, Yellow Thornbills, Brown Honeyeater, Grey Fantail and Willie Wagtails was working the casuarina fringe along the creek at Carey Bay. Up along West Ridge, great numbers of Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, Scarlet Honeyeaters (surprisingly, another species new to the list) plus some Silvereyes and Spotted Pardalotes were moving through the canopy. Mostly the focus appeared to be the blossom of the Bloodwoods that still persists as well as the first flowers of the Spotted Gum. These autumn flocks of honeyeaters are in preparation of the great autumn movement (some call it migration) generally from south to north. Signs of this movement are just being detected along the Sugarloaf Range. 


The full report can be viewed online.