Last Saturday morning till about midday, I went for a drive and
did a couple of walks in the Ourimbah area (about 80 km north of Sydney CBD). At
one stretch of the road while driving through Ourimbah valley, there were an
abundance of both King Parrots and Satin Bowerbirds. There would have been
easily over a hundred or so of both species as they were feeding on Cheese
Trees? and Wild Tobacco. This is not unusual in the Central coast at this time
of year. Surprisingly though, not a single Regent Bowerbird was seen. The
Regent’s do feed often in large numbers on privet in nearby Erina or other parts
of the Central Coast during winter. This is where they may all be. Also at this
spot were several Green Catbirds and the Bell Miners were trying to drive away
the Satin Bowerbirds from their colony (far outnumbered by the Bowerbirds). Very
few rainforest pigeons were seen including White-headed, Wonga and Brown
Pigeons. A walk nearby here yielded some more of the usual resident rainforest
birds – Brush Turkey, Rose Robins, Golden Whistlers, Yellow-throated and
Large-billed Scrubwrens as well as a few Fan-tailed and Golden Bronze-cuckoos
(the later only heard). Very surprisingly, no Superb Lyrebirds were seen or
heard when they should be singing at their peak this time of year.
Edwin
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