Morning all.
Three Swift Parrots flew northwards over my home at Syndal (20 km east of
Melbourne CBD) at about 10 am yesterday (Sunday) morning. This after I have
twice taken part in extensive but unsuccessful seaches around Castlemaine during
official Swift Parrot/ Regent Honeyeater count weekends. I'll be checking the
garden for Regent Honeyeaters now...
During an overnight camp at Cook's Mill, Cathedral Ranges State Park (about 120
km north-east of Melbourne) last weekend we had White-winged Choughs, Pied
Currawongs (but no Greys), Grey Shrike-thrushes, Laughing Kookaburras and Wonga
Pigeons foraging unperturbed in the camping area. However, the highlight was a
male Stain Bowerbird, with a classic bower near the fringes of the camping area.
He had collected blue bottle lids, chocolate wrappers, plastic cutlery, clothes
peg, long-life milk sachet and an impressive number of Cromson Rosella feathers,
as well as wattle blossom, a green ring from the top of a plastic milk bottle,
cicada shells (if that's the right word), assorted toadstools and the top of an
onion. And while I lurked behind a tree with the camera trained on the bower
from a reasonable distance, he returned with another trophy - my own pen, which
I had used less than an hour previously and hadn't noticed that I'd dropped. If
not for the Bowerbird I would have been looking everyehere for it. The bower
was a fascinating experience for the whole family.
If anyone wants to get a good look at Common Bronzewings, a quiet day at
Maroondah Reservoir picnic area would be worth trying. We had our lunch there
on the way to Cathedral Ranges and they were fossicking for crumbs under our
feet, along with the Crimson Rosellas.
All observations are going onto Atlas sheets.
I'll be unsubscribing at the end of the week - not in any dissatisfaction with
birding-aus, just to avoid an unreadable build-up while having a computer-free
camping trip to South Australia. I should be back on line around mid-October,
in time for the Twitchathon. Thanks very sincerely to all birding-ausers who
have provided us with information ahead of our big trip - I will let you all
know how we get on.
Regards,
Jack
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