Central Coast Wetlands – 21 January 2023

I had been wanting to visit the Central Coast Wetlands at the old Pioneer Dairy at Wyong for a  while. A nice day was forecast, so I caught a train up and walked out.

On the way I spotted a single Wood Sandpiper feeding on a mudflat.

In one of the smaller ponds, I watched this Australian Swamphen chick being fed –

On the Pioneer Creek walk, in one of the nest boxes was this Dollarbird chick calling out for food.

This Golden-headed Cisticola was on the fence calling out loudly to mark its territory.

Some Cattle Egrets were on the move –

I had seen a pair of Black-fronted Dotterels on distant mudflat. But now they were a lot closer –

I then headed off on the walk along Tuggerah Creek. On the way, I heard and then spotted a Tawny Grassbird –

Lots of birds were feeding on the fruit of a large Fig Tree. Here is a Satin Bowerbird –

And, there were plenty of Australasian Figbirds –

And there must have been about five Channel-billed Cuckoos. Some flew out –

But others were still after food –

Continuing on, here are some Superb Fairy-wrens –

And then I went for the walk through the forest section. I spotted about four Sacred Kingfishers –

Brown Thornbill

Rufous Whistler

Grey Fantail

Dollarbird

Variegated Fairy-wren

I then headed back to the main pond area for lunch. Here is an Australasian Darter –

While I was eating lunch, I spotted a distant Whistling Kite –

It was then harassed by a Masked Lapwing –

The Black-fronted Dotterels did not seem too worried by the Kite.

But one did go for a flight.

Nankeen Kestrel with prey.

Pied Butcherbird

Red-rumped Parrot

Australasian Darter