Hi Michael and others
Yep I would agree that it is odd that there are few records of
Red-backed Button-quail around Newcastle given the abundance of suitable
habitat there. Due to the fact that Red-backed Button-quail like wet
grassy areas, it is not habitat that is much frequented by birdos like
woodland and forest. Red-backed like Red-chested are harder to flush
than the large quail. Who knows, there could be loads of Red-backed
Button-quail in Hexham swamp a few km out of Newcastle CBD but who's
willing to go through all that tall grass and reeds (there may also be a
few Grass Owls in there too)!!
I would dare say that there are a lot more Red-backed Button-quails out
there around Newcastle and Sydney. They may be resident/locally nomadic
in small numbers in the Sydney area.
What is the most southerly record of Red-backed Button-quail along the
east coast? Are there any VIC records of Red-backed Button-quail out of
interest?
Edwin Vella
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Todd
Sent: Sunday, 5 February 2006 4:32 PM
To: Edwin Vella; birding-aus
Subject: NSW Another good quail day in Sydney's
Hawkesbury area - 4th Feb 2006
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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