Peter Shute was up from Melbourne and keen to go birding around Mt
Tambourine. Despite a dismal weather forecast for today, we rocked up
to the Witches Falls area around 9 am. Normally the carpark would be
half full by that time, but there were no cars at all when we
arrived. We set off along the track and within minutes, Peter (who
was in the lead) said there was a bird on the track. I was about to
say it would be one of the ubiquitous turkeys, but no, it was a male
Albert's Lyrebird. That was the fastest Albert's tick for anyone I've
been birding with.
Instead of instantly disappearing as Albert's are want to do, it
loitered for 10 seconds before vanishing. We walked on 100 metres,
and there was another one. And another one. Then there were two or
three together. All up, we saw Alberts for about a kilometre along
the track. At times we could see them less than 10 metres away
scratching in the rich soil beside the track, and I managed to get my
first ever good photograph of an Albert's. There was a fair bit of
calling going on, but not a full breeding recital. They did, however,
make a diverse range of calls and Peter got to hear the classic
gronking call.
I have never seen so many 'tame' Albert's in one place. Perhaps the
fact that the track runs 20 metres from a host of back fences has
something to do with it.
The bottom line, is that if you want to see an Albert's, go to Witches
Falls on a wet morning. The rain may bring the leeches out, but it
sure keeps the wombles away.
Regards, Laurie.
PS We got some nice close-up shots of Log Runners on the Curtis Falls
track and I was surprised to find a large colony of Flying Foxes
camped over the creek. I can't remember seeing them on Mt Tambourine
previously.
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