Teet,
Thanks for your interesting trip report which you posted to Birding-Aus -
it sounds like you had an excellent trip, with plenty of interesting birds,
including some of the SW endemics and some hard to get ones like Grey
Honeyeater.
I have recently been doing some survey work in the Shark Bay to Carnarvon
region, so was quite interested in some of your records from this area:
1) Malleefowl near Billabong was a good record. We have records of them
from SW of here, and from just S of Shark Bay, but your record must be at
or close to the inland limit in this area.
2) Your Slate-backed Thornbill record is certainly out of the usul range.
It is also unusual habitat - they are usually in tall mulga (at least in
WA). Were you aware that immature Chestnut-rumps have a dark iris? Did you
make a note of any calls (the two species have quite different calls)? Any
further details you have would be of interest.
3) The record of Laughing Turtle-dove at Babbage Island, Carnarvon, is also
interesting. The furthest north records that I am aware of prior to yours
were at Shark Bay (Denham, Monkey Mia) although it is a species that one
might expect to turn up at Carnarvon, as it has been expanding slowly
northwards. You might not have any further details on this one, but if you
do, I would be interested, as this represents a new northernmost record.
4) Painted Button-quail at Carbla strikes me as unlikely (but I note also
that you didn't see this one yourself). It is well outside the known range
and outside the usual habitat. Stubble Quail is much more likely, and can
be difficult to distinguish in the field if you don't get a good look or
are not familiar with them. Calls are distinctive. Any further details?
Cheers,
Allan
- - -
Dr Allan H. Burbidge E-mail OR
Dept of Conservation and Land Management,
Wildlife Research Centre,
PO Box 51, Wanneroo WA, 6065 Australia
Tel: +61 8 9405 5100 Fax: +61 8 9306 1641
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