Hello Edwin,
It might be a good time for quail at the moment. I saw a couple of
Red-backed Buttonquail on Kooragang Island (Newcastle, NSW) a few days
ago. There are also lots of Brown Quail around. Interestingly there are
no published records of Red-chested Buttonquails in the Hunter, that I'm
aware of at least . This seems odd to me as I would have expected them
to appear in the upper Hunter from time-to-time.
Cheers
Mick
Michael Todd
Wildlifing
Images & Sounds of Nature
Latest Additions: New Zealand (Tiritiri Matangi)
www.wildlifing.com
Toronto, NSW, Australia
04101 23715
Edwin Vella wrote:
Yesterday morning (Saturday 4^th Feb 2005) I spent a few hours with
Stuart Pickering looking for more quail at the corner of Cuppitts Lane
and Cornwallis Rd in Richmond (approx 55km NW of Sydney CBD). It was
fairly hard going after early rain going through the damp grass (some
sections at least waist height) but the light was excellent and the
hard effort was well rewarding especially for Stuart adding 2 lifers
to his list.
We located no less than 2 Red-chested Button-quail (possibly same 2
birds flushed 3-4 times) as well as at least 3 King, 12 Stubble and 6
Brown Quails (2 of the later where young birds about the same size of
a King Quail but unlike the King Quail do make a more audible sound
with their wings when flushed). As usual the distinguishing
orange-buff flanks of the Red-chested Button-quail (when viewed from
behind) are quite obvious when flushed at close range. Good views were
also had of the other Quail, in particular the King Quails where we
could clearly see on one of the male birds its black and white
markings on the chin as well as all the other colouring of the bird.
There were loads of Signing Bushlarks as with last weekend (no less
than 20 seen with many perched (3 at one time) on the hay bales
allowing very close approach) and they were often flushed along with
many Golden-headed Cisticola and a few Reed Warblers. Other birds seen
included a Swamp Harrier, a few Black-shouldered Kites and a few
Chestnut-breasted Mannikins.
There are many other paddocks that look good in the turf farms for
quail (I heard many other Stubble Quails calling in these other
paddocks) with by permission from the land owners may be worth
investigating.
Edwin Vella
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