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We had a few days at Durras either side of
Christmas. The birding fun actually started before we left home when the
Holder Koel starter doing circuits over our house at about 7am, pursued at times
by Currawongs and Magpies. Then about 10 ks this side of Braidwood there
was a pair of Wedgies perched in a dead tree, looking magnificent. Other
side of Braidwood a streamlined raptor which was probably a Peregrine
Falcon.
At the coast itself, in between bouts with
sundry grandchildren, I managed 54 species with some great
highlights:
3 Glossy black Cockatoos incl. 1 DY, at
least 26 Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos, female Sthn Emu-wren, Jacky Winters with
DY, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, 2 Olive-backed
Orioles, one carrying food, White-cheeked Honeyeater carrying what appeared to
be nesting material, Pied and Sooty Oyster catchers, 12 White-headed Pigeons
flying overhead, Dusky Woodswallows with DY, Koels and Fan-tailed Cuckoos
calling constantly, and finally a Scarlet Honeyeater. Re the latter, were
it not for our geographical location, not to mention the certain prospect of
ridicule, I would have called it as a Red headed Honeyeater, such was the view I
had.
Non-birding highlight was a big Red-bellied Black
Snake on the edge of a soak very adjacent to the track which runs from Lakeside
Drive Durras to Grassy Bank, Durras Lake.
Back home, I hear the Koel from about 4.30
every morning, although one neighbour reports it calling all night.
Happy New year all
Rod
Rod Mackay
Rod's Garden Maintenance
Tel. 0407 456 330
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