I mentioned in my recent trip report that we spent some time
at Yurrigar NP near Wooli (east of Grafton). The section of the park we
explored was an area of coastal heath-land near Diggers Rest. The heath
contained a large proportion of prostrate banksias and it, and just about every
other plant, was in full flower. It was truly spectacular. Needless
to say there were plenty of birds, particularly honeyeaters, but also
bushlarks, quail, red-backed wrens, several raptors and other.
The predominant honeyeaters were White-cheeked, which were
feeding mainly on the banksias, and Tawny-crowned. The latter were mainly
sitting on low branches or on the ground in the shadow of bushes along the road
edge and feeding on insects, mainly ants, on the road surface (see enclosed
pic).
One interesting incident that occurred there was on a windy
day while I was investigating a bird which was calling from a stunted eucalypt
on the road edge. I had circled around inland of the tree with the sun
behind me and was standing about 40 metres from it when all at once a shadow
passed over me and birds all around me began a chattering that became louder
and louder. Up to that point there was not a bird in sight. I
looked up and noted a Brown Falcon soaring overhead. It also heard the
chattering and circled around the spot a few times before heading for the
horizon. Immediately it was gone the chattering tapered off and stopped
altogether. I wandered around attempting to flush the birds responsible
but saw nothing. I had assumed at the time they were honeyeaters sheltering
from the wind in the bushes around me. Reflecting on the incident since,
I wonder if it was, in fact, quail. Rhonda had seen a quail (species not
identified) nearby earlier that day. Has anyone experiences anything
similar of do you have a view on what the birds might have been?
Regards
Lindsay Hansch
