Black Mountain 9 Feb 2003
Cheers
Paul
Paul Fennell
COG Database Manager
6254 1804
0407105460
-----Original Message-----
From: con
Sent: Thursday, 19 November 2009 7:36 PM
To: John Layton
Cc: Canberra Birds
Subject: Shepherds Lookout 19/11/09
I think there is a Lyrebird record for Black Moutain. But that was
apparently soon after some big fires.
Con
John Layton wrote:
>
> At 0630 today we decided to go for a drive in the cool to see some
> birds. Arrived at the well-oiled carpark off Stockdill Drive and
> walked along the little path towards the lookout. Action started
> before we reached the end of the blacktop.
>
> HIGHLIGHTS : In shrubs by the fence two Southern Whiteface and, on the
> fence, five Double-barred Finches, couple of Speckled Warblers on the
> ground. Further towards the lookout , two Yellow Thornbills in a
> feathery foliaged /Acacia sp/., right in the type of habitat where
> they're supposed to be. Couple of Rainbow Bee-eaters hawking in the
> morning air and a perched Nankeen Kestrel. Could hear Stubble Quail
> calling but unable to sight them. Pair of Rainbow Lorikeets passed
> directly overhead, coming from the north heading south.
>
> We stood on the lookout, heard a ruckus from downstream and, a good
> 400m away, large birds issued across the water from our side of the
> river. Although it was a bit of a challenge with 8x binos we were
> reasonably satisfied they were Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos. At first
> only about ten appeared, and we thought they were creating quiet a din
> for so few, but as Johnny Horton sang of the British in /The Battle of
> New Orleans/, "They kept a-comin". Within seconds there were about 30
> angling across the river just above the surface. Distance thwarted
> accurate estimate. But the show wasn't over. Seemingly on top of the
> tail-end-Charlies there came a raptor. Best I can say of it is it
> appeared larger than a medium-sized raptor. As the cockatoos began to
> follow the rising terrain after crossing the river, the raptor
> appeared to crowd down upon a straggler. Anyhow it landed on the
> ground but, again, the tyranny of distance had us licked insomuch as
> we couldn't confirm if it had taken a victim and couldn't tell if it
> was mantling. We lowered the binos to give our eyes a rest and, when
> we attempted to relocate the protagonist, were unable to.
>
> We stood and enjoyed the cool of early morning as a Murrumbidgee
> zephyr soothed our frustrated brows, and the clear call of a Boobook
> carried to us from somewhere downriver. We heard it call twice.
>
> "Do these owls call during daylight?" I wondered aloud.
>
> Suddenly the morning tranquillity was sundered by the strident call of
> the Auburn-crowned Babbler, " I know, Papa-san, I know, she shrilled.
>
> "You know what? I growled, a bit startled.
>
> "It's a Lyrebird mimicking a Boobook."
>
> "Nice try, Chica, but wrong habitat," I said.
>
> Could someone say if Boobooks call during daylight hours, and, for the
> sake of detente, confirm that the dry woodlands of Shepherds Lookout
> would be unlikely habitat for a Lyrebird?
>
> John K. Layton.
>
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