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Two species collide

To: "Simon and Alex Starr" <>,
Subject: Two species collide
From: "Janine Duffy" <>
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2014 19:24:11 +0000
Hi Simon and BA

Hot day in the You Yangs yesterday. Found 3 juvenile Dusky Woodswallows sharing 
a tree crevice at ground level with 3 young Varied Sittellas, 2 adult Jacky 
Winters and a Willie Wagtail.

They were all beside each other in a line - woodswallows in the deepest, 
shadiest spot, sittellas on the outer.  

The babies all looked a bit shocked - fancy encountering a 44 degree day within 
weeks of hatching!

Later (7.30pm) I sat beside a small dam and watched bird after bird drinking 
with 6 Swamp Wallabies. I was in the You Yangs for work - wouldn't have been 
there by choice!

Janine
JANINE DUFFY Director Marketing & Research
ECHIDNA WALKABOUT PO Box 370 Port Melbourne 3207 AUSTRALIA
Email:  Web: www.echidnawalkabout.com.au
Tel: +61 (0)3 9646 8249 Fax: +61 (0)3 9681 9177 ABN: 72 716 985 505
Sent via Blackberry

-----Original Message-----
From: "Simon and Alex Starr" <>
Sender: "Birding-Aus" <>
Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2014 00:23:03 
To: Birding Aus Mailing List<>
Subject: Two species collide

Hi all,

 

In the last few months out birding, I've had a couple of occasions where
I've had to stop and wonder at the amazing luck or timing at seeing two
birds together in the same field of view.

 

The first one was whilst birding in Wyperfeld National Park in early
October. We got onto a small group of Crimson Chats (the only ones I saw in
Victoria this spring) and were following them, trying for better views. This
happened to be in the territory of a Red-capped Robin family, who were
feeding recently fledged young.  Without seeking it out, it did happen that
a male Crimson Chat and the male Red-capped Robin perched next to each other
for a few fleeting moments.  It was wonderous!!

 

The second moment that had me temporarily speechless was at Werribee just a
few days ago. A raptor was flying across the bay near The Spit. Because of
the location it took me a while to realise that it was in fact an adult
Spotted Harrier, usually a creature of treeless grasslands. It was well out
over the water, and was setting up all the waders and duck in the area at
the time. That was when I spotted the Arctic Skua. The Skua, clearly
thinking that this was it's own personal domain, gave the Harrier a bit of
an aggressive flyby, with a twist in the air, just to let it know who should
really be out there amongst the waves. I'm guessing I won't see those two
species interacting again in a hurry.

 

I wonder what interesting, unusual or just plain fantastic bird combinations
others have come across?

 

Cheers,

Simon Starr

 

 

 

 

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