Members also reported seeing more species than ever before.

Sightings of birds were recorded by members while they participated in a group competition known as the Hastings Quest, where the aim is see the most species in a year. 

The Hastings Quest area stretches from Saltwater in the south to Stuarts Point in the north and from the continental shelf in the east.

In the west areas of Nowendoc, Cotton Bimbang, Werrikimbi and Bellbrook were explored. 

In the inaugural year of 2015 about 20 members took on the challenge and Clive Meadows from Wauchope recorded seeing 246 species. 

In 2016 Clive Meadows won the Quest again having recorded 275 species. In total 288 species was the combined total for all participants.

The rarest bird recorded was the Regent Honeyeater, a critically endangered migrant.

“This single bird spent some time at Lake Cathie feeding on Swamp Mahogany nectar and is one of just 300 of this beautiful bird remaining,” Hastings Birdwatchers publicity officer Steve West said.

The Oriental Cuckoo which is a rare migrant from Mongolia and China was also sighted.

Mr West said some of the hardest to find birds are owls and the skulkers of the swamps and marshes.

“These were in fact well represented in our records as while not common, they are there for those who want to go out and find them,” he said.

The Eastern Grass Owls around Port Macquarie and the Powerful Owls at Sea Acres were witnessed nesting and producing young.

“These impressive birds are 60 cm tall and prey on possums, bats and gliders and often inhabit the towns and cities of the east coast,” Mr West said.  

There are currently 24 members in the Hastings Birdwatchers and they work cooperatively by using communications applications to alert one another to new discoveries. 

The Hastings Birdwatchers publicity officer Peter West said the single greatest driver of extinctions is loss of habitat.

“As areas of woodland, forest, heathland and wetlands are cleared or drained the local birds and other animals are pushed further towards extinction,” he said. 

Historically, he said species of birds including the Brown Treecreepers, Speckled Warblers, Weebills, Little Friarbirds, Grey-crowned Babblers have been found in the Mid North Coast region. 

However they have not been recorded by the Hastings Birdwatchers in the past five to ten years. 

Group members believe there are over 300 species in the local area. 

For more information or to join the Hastings Birdwatchers people contact the group through the website www.hastingsbirdwatchers.org.au or Peter West on 0406 940 408.