In the course of a family holiday at Santa Monica camp, between Aireys
Inlet and Lorne on the coast of western Victoria, I walked about a
kilometre up the valley of Grassy Creek from the camp at about 6:30 am
on Saturday 3 January. While sitting on a boulder in the creek I
heard an unfamiliar call from somewhere high on the north slope of the
creek valley. It was a four syllable honking or trumpeting call, the
first, second and final syllables all of similar pitch and duration,
the third shorter and higher: "Hoh-hoh-heh-hoh". It sounded a strong
call, and was different in quality from the Pied Currawongs which were
also calling; the notes were clear and the pitch did not "slide" as
currawong calls do. The call was given twice in relatively quick
succession, maybe five or ten seconds apart, then again, once, about
twenty minutes later. I couldn't see anything of any size moving in
the forest on the slope at the times of the calls, or in between. The
bush in the valley is fairly dense, tall eucalypt forest, verging on
rainforest in the bottom of the valley. Can anyone offer any
suggestions (other than that I should carry a tape recorder)?
Thanks very much.
Jack Krohn
Ph (BH) 03 9881 8897, (AH) 03 9886 4473
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