This week has been very odd. I work out in a Gym and while trying to balance my weights
is glanced towards the heavens and saw what appeared to be sparrows with long tails.
So I went out to see a couple of budgerigars,
escapees I assume and guess they would be supper for a Hobby. I came home from the Gym. and was showing
my neighbour Julie my
new bird baths when in flew a Diamond Firetail,
and enjoyed along
drink. I know I have a good imagination but there is really no doubt
a Firetail. I wonder if that was as
escapee too? I made a cup of coffee
and while pondering these two strange sightings a Horsfield’s Cuckoo flew into my Casuarina. This did not
surprise me as I heard one calling nearby but I had never seen one in my
garden. I was telling a friend of
these sightings, she suggested I should keep taking whatever I was on!
That all
happened on Friday.
Today, Tuesday,
I celebrated the public holiday by taking my local Councillor down to the Treatment
Plant, it was his first visit and although it was very windy he was very
impressed with the habitat and would like to come birding again, a convert?
I had not been
home very long when Julie, previously mentioned neighbour, came over and asked
could I go and identify the bird in their enclosed courtyard. It was a Quail, it was trotting around among the pot
plants. I find there is a great deal of difference between the Quail in the Fields Guides but assume it is a Brown, but it does seem
very small, probably an immature
bird. Morecambe and Simpson & Day confirmed my identification. I carefully put out as bowl of water, soon the bird came over
and drank for quite some time. Could this be another escapee? Where would it come from? How would it get into the courtyard? It has been there for a couple of days
and I wonder if it is able to fly up high enough to get out. What should we do?
Yes, I will continue to take whatever I am on so I can find more birds of interest.
P.S. I am still looking for the Ballion’s Crake!
Shirley Cameron
