Took a cruise out to Hall
early yesterday on a morning that smacked enticingly of autumn and went across
to the cemetery, not a bad birding locale. Checked off 35 species during 90
minutes mostly within the boundaries of Boot Hill, a few overhead. As I walked
towards the gate a Kookaburra rose from a strainer post while a few posts
further along a Jacky Lizard draped itself in the sunshine, seemingly oblivious
to the proximity of the big kingfisher. The spreading crown of a large Yellow
Box bore a twittering, burgeoning crop of Tree Martins on the outer foliage,
about 40. An early pre-migration marshalling? Three White-winged Trillers
seemed to nurture no such plans just yet. From high above came the quavering
cry of Australian Ravens. Some 15 spilled across the sky looking like cracked
pepper corns strewn over a blue tablecloth.
Surprise of the morning was a
male Flame Robin. A bit early in the year to see the bright little spark down
at this altitude? Later on I saw another perched next to a brown plumaged bird.
Never noticed Mom & Pop F. Robin close together outside of a breeding
territory before.
Last bird blitz weekend I
checked off a Tawny Frogmouth here. Saw the same one again, unless it has a
doppelganger (never decided if that’s a good word or a bloody awful one)
anyhow, as I mulled it over, I noticed a second Tawny F’mouth and found a
number of pellets beneath the tree, put the driest in a plastic bag and when
Junior Brat returned from pursuing her education we teased it out on a sheet of
blotting paper. Among the detritus we recognised what looked like fur and some
tiny bone shards which, under a magnifying loupe, we decided were probably
those of a mouse. Tougher parts of insects were also apparent, particularly the
wing cases of small beetles. HANZAB tells us that larger prey like mice are
beaten almost to a pulp, could explain the bone splinters. Or perhaps the
pellets were from something else, another nocturnal raptor we hope because they
are so fittingly synonymous with the after-dark graveyard scene.
Other surprises: Approaching
the boundary fence I glimpsed 3 quail feeding 30m away in the adjacent paddock,
focussed the binos and recognised them as Stubble Quail, edged closer and they
exploded into flight, described a steep parabola and landed out of view. Four
Varied Sittellas and in the foliage 6 Brown Headed Honeyeaters, also among the
leaves a White –throated Gerygone. About 7 European Goldfinches were
working on the seed heads of some kind of flatweed while several Brown Thornbills
brunched on a raft of capeweed. A male(very diminutive with remarkably light
coloured plumage) Collared Sparrowhawk watched me with round-eyed suspicion
from a high branch. As I left the Kookaburra had returned to its post still all
perch, no pounce.
John K. Layton.
