I only update the gallery photos occasionally. Sorry about that, too busy. See my Sri Lanka gallery though and also the latest additions to my UK and Denmark galleries.
September 2025
23 September
I did my monthly surveys of the Umina Coalstal Sandplain Woodland - and there I had my first Channel-billed Cuckoo for the season. The day before, at home, I heard my first Pacific Koel for the season (and I've heardseveral more subsequently).
19-21 September
Seven of us spent three days on Broughton Island, in perfect conditions. We found 36 species, including nine types of raptor. Some of those were in high numbers too - with nine White-bellied Sea Eagles and six Swamp Harriers being the standouts. Uncommon birds for the island were Scarlet Honeyeater, Galah and Shining Bronze-cuckoo, plus we had Buff-banded Rails and Lewin's Rails a couple of times. On Friday night I and a couple of others watched three Little Penguins come ashore. There were thousands of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters at night.
18 September
On my way to Nelson Bay, I stopped at the Central Coast Wetland, near Wyong. I recorded 32 species, including the usuals such as Bell Miners, Superb Fairywrens, miscellaneous waterbirds. There were some Eastern Cattle Egrets - not often there, but also not unusual.
16 September
I did my surveys of the Warrah Trig area of Brisbane Water National Park. The main highlight was a couple of calling Pheasant Coucals. At Patonga afterwards, there was an Australian Brushturkey.
15 September
I visited two more of my sites in Brisbane Water National Park, plus I went to the Pearl Beach arboretum. I got 22 species at the arboretum, including Brown Gerygones, Brown Cuckoo-Doves and a female Superb Lyrebird.
9 September
In the morning I did surveys at three of my sites in Brisbane Water National Park. There were a couple of Pheasant Coucals calling - my first ones for the season. Other than that, things were rather quiet (and most of the honeyeaters have moved on).
8 September
I went into Woy Woy and then walked home alongside Brisbane Water as far as Blackwall. There were three separated pairs of Pied Oystercatchers, and I found a couple more Long-billed Corellas. There were two Caspian Terns on the sandbank plus about 150 Australian Pelicans.
6 September
Ross and I did the Ash Island survey, and were delighted to find some shorebirds - not many, but enough to whet our appetites. There were three Far Eastern Curlews on Milhams Pond, while out at the main pond system we found ten Sharp-tailed Sandipers, seven Pied Stilts and two Red-capped Plovers. Another highlight was a Spangled Drongo - until then I hadn't seen one in southern Australia all year. We also saw a couple of Australasian Shovelers, and had a good view of a Buff-banded Rail. On my way home I stopped briefly near the Brisbane Water Lions Park, where I found a flock of ten Long-billed Corellas together.