Moderators' Note

Birders are encouraged to post lists to eBird Australia, where sightings are incorporated into the BirdLife Australia Atlas. To do this you need to register with eBird Australia then login. All Regent Honeyeater and Swift Parrot reports should be forwarded to Mick Roderick to assist in the recovery of these severely declining species: mick.roderick@birdlife.org.au. Note we will not be publishing reports of Accipiter raptors (Collared Sparrowhawk, Grey/Brown Goshawks) or Square-tailed Kites unless they are in unusual locations or are seen with unusual prey etc.

• Reports
• Criteria

October 2026

Sat 24		Topknot Pigeon Backyard
		Resting.
		Samuela Sirilo 24/10 #273159
Wed 21		Bar-tailed Godwit Mill Stream Look-out (Botany)
		Surveying, rather imperfectly, for the NSW Bird Atlassers, Sydney Grid . It was low tide, and Richard's smaller waders were nowhere to be seen. But there were 8 B-T.Godwits and a Pied Oystercatcher there, and an Osprey flew over within minutes. I've seen the Godwits there before, but never the smaller waders. At the cliffs near the Pistol Club there was the resident Black-shouldered Kite, and a Whistling Kite flew by. I couldn't find a Cisticola, and I've not seen Pipits along there for a couple of years.
		Ted Nixon 21/10 #273158
Fri 16		Bush Stone-curlew + Masked Lapwing (pairing?) Central Coast
		There is a Bush Stone-Curlew who lost his mate and has since befriended a breeding pair of Masked Lapwings. The Curlew is actively participating in breeding (sitting on the eggs) and defending the chicks when hatched. This is an interspecies cooperation seldom witnessed as both species are very territorial. I will only include a screen shot from the video. My video shows the lapwing returning to the nest and letting the curlew know he/she is ready to sit on the nest again. (Moderator's Note: incredible behaviour!)
		Karin Jokisch 30/10 #273165
Wed 14		Pacific Golden-plovers (3), Grey-tailed Tattler (1), Sharpies (4) Mill Stream Lookout (Botany)
		A flock of small migratory shorebirds, predominantly juveniles, has set up an impromptu high-tide roost on the beach here over the past three days. Conditions have been unsettled, with wind and rain, which has kept human and dog activity unusually low at this unprotcted site.This is the first time I’ve seen small shorebirds roosting at this location, which is normally too busy for them to settle.
		Richard Murray 15/10 #273156
Sat 10		Banded Lapwing Cornwell's Lane Richmond Lowlands
		8 birds observed near road side and on turf of turf farm on west side of Cornwell's Lane - apologies for the low quality photo - see eBird checklist for clearer photo eBird checklist
		Anna & Judith Gillespie 15/10 #273155