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Message: <blockquote data-quote="colonelboris" data-source="post: 1577594" data-attributes="member: 40117">Thanks, Carlos - might follow that up next weekend.  I'll get round to Bicentennial Park tomorrow if I'm feeling more up to it.As for today, the trip to Wentworth Common and the Badu Mangroves around the Olympic Park went quite well.  First new bird of he day was an Australasian Grebe, looking all the world like the big brother of the Little Grebe, near the old brick pit.  A little further on to the edge of Wentworth Common and on a pool, there were half-a-dozen Eurasian Coots and (at that point) a single Grey Teal.  I managed to walk around the hill, not noticing I was going in a large circle unti I came back to that pool again, but on the way saw a White-plumed Honeyeater and a striking scarlet and dark green flash that resolved itsefl into an Australian King Parrot on alighting in a tree.  Finding the right route to the pool with the bird hide, I could see at a distance there were a few dozen Black-winged Stilts and Chestnut Teal.  A few minutes later appeared a Little Pied Cormorant, which went for a fish and sat sunning itself for a few minutes before repeating the process and nearby, five Bar-tailed Godwits walked out of some undergrowth.  I noticed that there were some people sat much nearer to them, so off I went to have a look from the other vantage point.  On the way was a tower, so up I went and saw in Homebush Bay my first White-faced Heron.  Turning round, a group of Silvereyes were making their way through the trees and bushes.  After getting a good look at the Stilts and Godwits (and also a Pied Cormorant), I walked on a little and was immediately presented with hovering Black-shouldered Kite.  By this point, my leg was hurting a fair bit, so I headed back and stopped off at the loading area for when they used to transport bricks from the brickworks and on the end of the wooden float was a female Darter and in the distance, a Great Cormorant and a few pelicans.  There are several small pools in the park and some nice little birds around them, too.  Among them were two introduced species: Spotted Turtle Dove and European Goldfinch.  Luckily, there were a few new natives, too: Red Wattlebird, Purple Swamphen and an Australian Spotted Crake, which showed briefly before being chased off by a Masked Lapwing.A little further on, I saw a sign for the Cumberland Bird Observation Club and, inviting myself in, was quickly chatting with the membershp secretary about the club.  To make things even better, I was given a piece of awesome fruit cake.Just to round things off, as Iwas leaving, I passed the pool at the beginning again and, apart from a pair of King Parrots, saw my first Grey Butcherbird.Not a bad day - fourteen lifers.Pictures to follow...[edit]: Pictures are 1: Chestnut Teal (male), Little Pied Cormorant, Silvereye and Darter (female); 2: Black-winged Stilt; 3: Purple Swamphen and 4: Australian Raven.</blockquote>

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