Hi everyone,
I am a teenager from Sydney's Northern Beaches and have always loved birdwatching and wildlife in general. I currently volunteer at taronga zoo (YATZ) and go birdwatching at least 3 times a week in my local area, I have recently borrowed a camera from my school and have been taking photos of my local birds which has been great even though it is a very basic setup. I love looking at everyones photos and they are all really amazing.
I am looking to extend my area of birdwatching in the christmas holidays and if anyone has any good ideas for trips around an hour away from Sydney it would be greatly appreciated.
Welcome to Birds in Backyards, BabyBirdwatcher. (Perhaps that should be YoungBirdwatcher). Are you planning to post any of your photos on this site?
Your passion for wildlife is to be admired. I can't help you with bird watching trips near Sydney as I live in SA but no doubt other members from your area will have information for you.
I'm no help (being in Tas) with local birdwatching for you sorry, but as Woko said, hopefully there will be other members nearer to you who can help. A warm welcome, and really look forward to seeing your birding discoveries and sharing your birding adventures.
West Coast Tasmania
You might consider Long Reef, Collaroy and Warriewood Wetlands, Warriewood and Narrebean Lakes, Narrebean and from the headland south of Manly you should be able to see some sea-birds inlcuding albatross.
Eremaea should also give you some other sites http://www.eremaea.com/TopSites.aspx?Context=TopSites&Latitude=-33.00000&Longitude=150.00000&MapType=0&Region=16&ZoomLevel=6
Peter
Thanks Pacman for these suggestions however these are all the places that I usually go to ( I live extremely close to warriewood wetlands and on a bus route to long reef) I will try looking for albatross at North Head as I have never payed much attention to albatross etc, If anyone knows anything about stockton sandspit that would be much appreciated as I am planning to head up their for the weekend, also do you need binoculars for the sandspit as I may not have access to any at the moment,
Thanks in Advance
Hey Jadon (hope that is the right spelling) I saw you that day at WW when we were photographing the Nankeen Night Heron. Thanks for the info about the Baza nest, I did spot it after you gave me a rough vicinity. Did you see the post about the two chics in the nest?
Mate, I suggest taking your bike out to Olympic Park with a pal. The ferry would be a nice trip but they are not particularly early. I say take the bike because there is so much area to cover from the Newington Armoury area, You might see the Sea Eagle (also you can drop in to visit the Birds Australia and BIBY setup they have out there) Wentworth Point up on the hill called Woo'lah'ra where you can quite often see Black Shouldered Kites and Australian Kestrel (Nankeen) and always see the Richard's Pipit and Golden Headed Cisticola. There also is the Narawang wetland walks where you can see Lathams Snipe and buff banded rails. Then there is the large wetlands (at the end of Badu Mangroves) where you can see Sandpipers, Stilts, Pelicans, Dotterels, Heron, Godwits, Avocets and many other waders etc. The Forest walk where you see Firetails Goldfinch, Olive backed orioles, Superb Fairy wrens and many more. Then there is Haslams creek where I have seen Kingfisher, White Face Heron Pied and little Cormorants, as well as various types of Ibis and of course there are many Purple swampies, Dusky moorhens and all the usual suspects. Then all the way over to Mason Park at Concord West where there are also Dotterels and some waders (if there is any water) but there are always Fairy wrens, Firetails and various thornbills. And all the bits in between where you can find Eastern Spinebills, Eastern Robins, Pardalotes, Galahs, Sulphur Crested, Long Billed and Little Corella, Figbirds etc. You get the picture. There is plenty to see just make sure your phone has plenty of battery for the maps app and your camera is charged and has an fresh storage card.
Stockton Sandspit - I have been there a few times though it has been just over 9 months since my last visit, my 1st Red-necked Avocets were seen there, binos are helpful everywhere, what lens have you on your camera?, there are walking track restrictions during the migratory bird season, I assume that you know the track on the SE side of the bridge to get to the Sandspit, it is best during high tide
Peter