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Arrived at ANBG 1045 today with a Texas visitor but saw no Powerful
Owl. Went to a Brittle Gum in Section 6, just off Main Path hoping to see the
Tawny Frogmouth but no luck. But did see a male Rose Robin there.
Pair of Gang-gangs called from overhead and Bobby said, "Gang-gangs, oil
birds."
"Why oil birds?" I asked, intrigued. " 'cause they sound like they need a
good squirt o' oil."
Lo and behold, deep down in Rainforest Gully, we saw another pair of
Gee-gees perched quietly in a shrub, and crept to within two metres of them.
They remained still and we retreated quietly. Bobby loves botany as much as
birds, so progress was slow and wet, but enjoyable. Didn't leave until
1645.
Bobby took a liking to Hudson's chicken pies. In fact, the drawling, little
pig ate three, albeit, over two sittings. My tea-totaling Texan washed down
his chicken pies with hot strawberry milkshakes. Yuck! Apparently Texans
have cast-iron constitutions.
Back to birding. We tallied only twenty-four species, probably because of
the beautiful, rainy weather. At various points, we saw seven male Golden
Whistlers and three females.
We found a cluster of drowned baby mice. "Them fellas native mice?" Bobby
asked. I picked up one, sniffed it and declared, "No, they're House Mice,
Australian native mice don't smell mousy. Here, have a sniff." "No thanks,
John-boy, I'll take your word on that," Bobby-boy replied, backing away.
All too soon we had to part company. Ah, what a beaut, rainy day with a
botanising, bird-loving bloke from Brownsville, Texas.
John K. Layton
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