| Mon 10 | | Ground Parrot (1), Southern Emu-wren (5+) and Latham's SnipeSnug Plains (Snug Tiers Nature Recreation Area) |
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| On the buttongrass plains which lead from the fire trail towards Snug Tiers, we saw a single Ground Parrot and a Latham's Snipe. We viewed 5 Emu-wren but heard a number of others. |
| Rob Hamilton and Paul Brooks 10/3 #216625 |
| Thu 6 | | Great CormorantSisters Beach |
| Adult bird with well-maintained plumage walking in dry sand at highest point of beach, near vegetation. Flies off at my approach and executes clumsy landing on beach rather than water.
Bird presumed to be unwell. |
| Richard Ashby 6/3 #216539 |
| Wed 5 | | Kelp GullWest Ulverstone Beach |
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| A 3rd year bird with 85 Pacific Gulls and c.250 Silver Gulls on the beach at high tide. My first sighting at Ulverstone in thirteen years. |
| Hazel Britton 6/3 #216551 |
| | Shy AlbatrossSisters Beach |
| Pair of birds gliding very tightly over c. 40 dolphins in feeding frenzy, presumably in the hope of some easy scraps. |
| Richard Ashby 5/3 #216516 |
| Sun 2 |  | Lewin's RailGoulds Lagoon, Granton |
| Single bird flushed from under the boardwalk into rushes. Called for 10-15 minutes afterwards. |
| Gavin Masters 6/3 #216545 |
| Fri 28 | | Australian DarterInterlaken Tas Ref. 42*08'42" / 147*10'24" |
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| I am a twice visitor to Tasmania for birding, 1991 and 2014. I live in Port Macquarie NSW where Darters are threepence a dozen, and I was (inexcusably) unaware they were such a rare species in Tasmania.
I had my non birding wife with me so by nearly 17:00 she was anxious to get the return trip under way. There had been very few birds along the way and nothing on the lake.
On the way out driving fairly slowly, my attention was drawn to 2 blokes and a ute. They were standing beside their vehicle which had some sort of machinery in the back, and to me they seemed to be surprised to see our car and then to act a bit suspiciously. They were parked right at some sort of water gate/lock/whatever. It was whilst trying to work out what they were up to, that I glimpsed the male Darter in the background. My sighting was just a glimpse, but I didn't even consider stopping to have a better look at (or photograph) such a "common" species. It would have been about 16:50 when I saw the bird.
Having now been made aware of its rarity in Tasmania, I remain 99.9% sure of the ID, but I suppose there is a slight chance of a Great Cormorant stretching up at that moment (it was also close to the ute and may have become alarmed), plus the setting sun catching it in a funny way ????? I know this can happen occasionally with birds.
Great Cormorant is the only other possibility I can think of, although its profile in normal circumstances is quite different. I am totally familiar with both species.
I was probably 100 metres from the bird, driving (so not using bins etc), distracted by the other vehicle & people, and it was only a glimpse of a total bird on a channel bank on which I focused on its head - yet I remain 99.9% sure it was a male Darter.
The photo below is only a google map of the site. |
| Anthony (Tony) Bischoff 10/3 #216619 |
| | Royal SpoonbillSuzie Islet, Orielton Lagoon |
| There was a third Royal Spoonbill still present on Susie Islet this morning at 9:15 [Moderator's note: two have been resident for some years - PB]. |
| Els Wakefield 28/2 #216434 |
| Thu 27 | | Black-winged StiltFrankford Rd, Thirlstane |
| Black-winged Stilt on the edge of a dam beside Frankford Road at -41.211378, 146.508754. |
| Anne Collins 27/2 #216418 |
| Wed 26 | | Black-winged StiltTamar Island Wetlands |
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| Single Black-winged Stilt feeding in the pond near the car park mid-afternoon. Seen from the end of the car park farthest from the entry to the boardwalk. |
| Anne Collins 26/2 #216405 |
| Tue 25 | | Australian Owlet-nightjarRidgeway Reservoir |
| Two birds heard calling on the northern side of the reservoir between 2240 and 2320 hrs. |
| Paul Brooks 26/2 #216401 |
| Sun 23 | | Grey GoshawkNew Town Rivulet |
| Saw circling high up, towards Mt Wellington/Glenorchy. |
| Mona Loofs Samorzewski 23/2 #216338 |
| Sat 22 | | Grey GoshawkMorrisons Rd Huonville |
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| Sat on the rail of my back deck for around half an hour on Saturday mid morning. Didn't seem very shy whilst I moved slowly inside the house. More photos available if needed. |
| Henni Petr 24/2 #216360 |
| | White-throated NeedletailUlverstone Golf Course |
| c.25 birds wheeling around at edge of moving cloud. Some dropping down below tree height. |
| Hazel Britton and Alison Parks 23/2 #216335 |
| Wed 19 | | White-throated NeedletailMoonah |
| Likely 100+ in total, although could never count more than 50-60 at a time. Seen from my balcony on Highfield St. |
| Scott Linnane 21/2 #216313 |
| | Fork-tailed (Pacific) Swift, White-throated Needletail (150+)Sandy Bay |
| 6 Fork-tails flying low over my house at around 6.45 pm. Followed immediately by a very loose flock of needletails which flew south in dribs and drabs for over 30 minutes. |
| Paul Brooks 19/2 #216290 |
| Sun 16 | | Gould's, Soft-plumaged, Mottled and White-headed PetrelEaglehawk Pelagic |
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| An exciting day on the Eaglehawk Neck pelagic organised by Rohan Clarke. 30 species all up with the highlights being Gould’s Petrel, Soft-Plumaged Petrel, White-headed Petrel and a Mottled Petrel. |
| Bernie OKeefe 16/2 #216226 |
| Sat 15 | | Cattle EgretDairy Farm at Gawler, near Ulverstone. |
| An adult bird in breeding plumage. Assumed to be an early arrival as not seen in this locality since 10 November 2013. |
| Hazel Britton and Alison Parks 16/2 #216214 |
| Fri 14 | | Banded LapwingWaterhouse Conservation Area |
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| 8 Banded Lapwing seen in open grassland around 6pm. |
| Rob, Katie and James Hamilton 16/2 #216224 |
| | Swift ParrotKermandie Divide State Forest |
| Five Swift Parrots sighted feeding on galls and lerps in Eucalyptus delegatensis and E. nitens wet forest. Haven't migrated yet! Also seen: plenty of Pink Robin, Scrubtit, Olive Whistler, Crescent Honeyeater and the odd lyrebird. If you're heading up there watch for the log trucks on the narrow roads. |
| Henry Cook 15/2 #216194 |
| Mon 10 | | Latham's snipeSteppes |
| Single bird flushed from roadside drain, near Steppes Sculpture Park |
| Simon Grove 11/2 #216122 |
| | Grey GoshawkWoods Reserve, Launceston |
| Seen and heard at close range a number of times over the past 2 weeks. Possibly a female due to its large size. |
| Sienna Cook 10/2 #216114 |
| Sun 9 | | White-throated NeedletailSnug Falls |
| Approximately forty birds travelling north in direct flight at 1045 hrs. Very warm and still conditions at time of sighting. |
| Paul Brooks 9/2 #216095 |