G'day bird lovers
An interesting morning indeed on the Waratah Track at Kuringai
National Park (Sydney).
I haven't walked this trail since the end of August and, as is to be
expected, the change in season has totally altered the bird list for
this trail. Many regulars are gone and fewer species about overall.
However, the abundance was still very good and a couple of excellent
sightings made the walk a very worthy one indeed.
I began the walk with my most easterly observation of a Peaceful Dove
about 100 metres along the track. There's been at least one other
sighting of this species in the park before but it would have to be
quite a rarity there. The abundance of Pheasant Coucals was
remarkable, with at least 7 birds showing or calling along the way.
Plenty of heath and dry sclerophyll faves (the trail runs through an
ecotone) but finished the walk off very nicely with long, crippling
views of a couple of Chestnut-rumped Heathwren. I've visited this
track 8 times and have only dipped on heathwrens on one occasion.
It's got to be the best place for viewing this species that I've yet
encountered. My total for today was four of them. My record for this
track is seven individuals on one day and I generally only walk about
3kms out and 3 back.
This track is also pretty good for button-quail, Brush Bronzewing and
the occasional Bar-shouldered Dove, if you can beat the mountain
bikes through (you usually get a couple of them so an early start is
required).
Adding plenty of colour and interest were the large numbers of Jewel
Beetles which are currently breeding along the track. I can't get an
ID to species level, so have to settle for Buprestidae, Jewel Beetle.
If anyone has suggestions, I'd appreciate it. I've put images online
at http://www.rickicoughlan.com/beetles.html
Common butterflies were Blotched Dusky Blue, Spotted Brown and Brown
Ringlet.
Here's the list, for what it's worth:
Peaceful Dove
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
Fan-tailed Cuckoo
Koel
Pheasant Coucal
Laughing Kookaburra
Variegated Fairy-wren
White-browed Scrubwren
Chestnut-rumped Heathwren
Brown Thornbill
Little Wattlebird
Yellow-faced Honeyeater
White-eared Honeyeater
New Holland Honeyeater
White-cheeked Honeyeater
Eastern Spinebill
Eastern Yellow Robin
Eastern Whipbird
Rufous Whistler
Grey Shrike-thrush
Grey Fantail
Pied Currawong
Australian Raven
Welcome Swallow
Ricki Coughlan
Belrose, Sydney
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birding-aus.blogspot.com
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