...um, well, er, a little bit more about those birds, you know who you are...

[Lindell <>]

Shaun,

Yes I agree with you on the size of the 'warbler' (and all the other sitings). Being relatively new to birding I scanned the bird book when I got home and came to the conclusion that it must have appeared bigger because of the binoculars - but I still doubted that theory. 

Watched a female Leaden Flycatcher in the eucalypts to the right of the path that heads over the ridge and to the back of Kelly's Swamp and an Egret (possibly Great) land in a willow out from the Tadorna Hide - all this yesterday mid-afternoon.

 

Lindell

 

 

On Mon, Nov 10, 2008 at 12:00 AM, Shaun Bagley <> wrote:

So, since the Koels were not audible in my area today, took a trip to Kelly's via Fyshwick (Bunning's and Sportsmans Warehouse in case any of you were worried about inappropriate posts) where I observed the Royal Spoonbills for the first time. Rushing in where angels, well ornithologists, fear to tread, there were 8 spoonbills in evidence at Kelly's today, 6 of which were engaged in some form of breeding activity in the same willow clump. Looked like the Left Hand Nest (LHS in Martin's email) was more ensconced with mating and nest enhancement, one bird sitting on that edifice during an entire 2.5 hr period. The RHS was not as advanced apparently but nevertheless mating and nest building were observed.  In the crown of the same willow coppice, another pair was observed engaging in nest-length branch gifting. This pair actually tried to pinch some branches from the LHS which ended up in a watery result for one of them.

 

It was a beautiful afternoon (3-5:30pm). Highlights were 2 Bee-eaters hawking insects (?) off the surface opposite the Tadorna hide where they continually splashed in the water to take their catches. More like the Sacred Kingfishers but still beat the prey against the perch once snared. Stunning colours since the sun was at the right angle to highlight their shimmering plumage. A single Glossy Ibis also added to the glitter.

 

Drongo unseen, though many Blackbirds in voice, both tunefully and a few calls I had not heard before. Willie Wagtails pestering Pied Currawongs just over the bridge but did not want to find the former's nest that I believe it was defending for fear of revealing to the latter. Lots of Silvereyes everywhere, nests in various places. Perhaps providing a start for Horsfield Bronze Cuckoo immature observed in grass, specifically in cranesbill in company of Goldfinches which made me wonder if they were the original foster parents.

 

A Swamp Harrier caused a disruption at a couple of points, during the first of which I was opposite Crake Alley when 4 waders came flying by in anxious haste.  Think they were Bar-tailed Godwits, based on size, one of them having significant rusty plumage on the neck and the very distinct alarm call they gave, almost like a beefed up version of the Reed Warbler grating call.  You would think that the bills would have been diagnostic but in flight, flashing by was not what I saw. Honestly could not tell you what form or shape the bill was, just the size, calls and the contrasting colour of one of the birds.

 

Just one more observation/question. I'm no Acrocephaline expert, indeed not even an old world warbler expert as my uncle was, but it seems to me that we have different birds amongst the "Reed Warbler" population at Kelly's. There are some individuals that are quite a bit larger and do not seem to vocalize quite the same way. Has anyone else noticed this?

 

Cheers

 

Shaun