A bush stone curlew has been spotted near Station Beach in recent days. This is now a very rare sighting for Pittwater and quite exciting - although they did once live at Careel Bay as well. This sighting has been reported to Council. A large, slim, nocturnal, ground-dwelling bird that will build its nest in sand dunes, the bush stone-curlew is now listed as threatened in New South Wales. When breeding, bush stone-curlews create a nest on the ground laying up to 2 eggs between August and October and again between November to January.
Each summer endangered pied oystercatchers and little terns, and critically endangered hooded plovers and beach stone curlews, lay their eggs in shallow nests on our beaches. Parent birds are easily disturbed and can abandon nests. Recent BirdData surveys record Station Beach and Governor Phillip Park are home to a great list of resident bird species and other wildlife.
Similarly many of our creeks and other estuary foreshores are homes to resident shorebirds and a place of refuge for visitor birds during certain seasons. Unfortunately many of the ducklings are eaten by large eels. As native plants installed by bushcare volunteers grow small birds such as Superb Wren, Spotted Pardalote and White-browed Scrub Wren will forage for insects there. Watch for the mud nests of Magpie Larks in the trees on the western bank.
During one was often seen along the creek or nearby. This bird needs open woodland or saltmarsh, with fallen branches to hide among, as it relies on camouflage to protect itself and its nest on the ground. Locals are calling on the Council to ensure they can live and raise their young in safety and peace across Pittwater and the peninsula. Wallaby going into sand dunes at Station Beach, Thursday August 24 , photo supplied. Dog offleash on Station Beach in , and signage these dog walkers ignored, photos supplied.
Dogs chasing seagulls off sandbar at North Narrabeen Lagoon January , photo supplied. The presence of this bird is a great reminder that our area is home to numerous ground-dwelling birds. They live in our wetlands, bush reserves, along our beaches and estuary foreshores. Australia is one of 22 countries within the East AsianβAustralasian Flyway and migratory waterbirds reach it via one or more of these countries, e.
