Interesting ACT sightings

[Tonya Haff <>]

Hi all,

I had to work the last couple days so I haven't been out to bird, but a friend visiting from the US has been out and twitching about, and has come home with some interesting sightings.  

Yesterday, he had:
At Namadgi, at the trail going up to the granite tors (in the Orroral valley): one Little Eagle, flushed off the ground, and one Brown Goshawk.

Tidbinbilla ponds: one Australian Shovler, two Black-fronted Dotterels, and a family of Crested Shrike-tits near the pond as well.

Below is an email he sent me with further sightings from today:

1) A pair of Rainbow Bee-eaters along Top Naas Rd / Naas River.  They
were foraging over the dry riverbed adjacent to a farmhouse on the far
side of the river, about 2-3 km up Top Naas from the main sealed road
(Tharwa?? I can't recall the name).  They appeared to still have an
active nest- one of the bee-eaters brought food into a burrow in the
riverbank.  Also along Top Naas Rd were two Australian Hobbies.

2) Bell Miner in Tindbinbilla- it was calling from just outside the
corner of the koala paddock, just as described.  I was able to get
fine views of the bird after walking a short ways up the Camel Back
trail turnoff from the main road.

3) Spotted Quail-thrush (4) and a Wonga Pigeon along Mt. Franklin Rd
in Namadgi.  I was there in hopes of seeing the button quail recently
reported from Chalet Rd- unfortunately the button quail were not
evident, but the quail-thrush and the Wonga for fine consolation
prizes!

Cheers,

Ryan DiGaudio
Bolinas, California, USA

-- 
Tonya Haff
PhD candidate
School of Botany and Zoology
Australian National University
Mobile: 04-3331-2908                                                 
Lab: 6125-5651