Mulligans: Painted Button-quail, Red-capped Robin

[Marnix Zwankhuizen <>]

Hi all

Well I finally had a chance to get out on the bike this morning after our move from Harrison to Forde. Our new place is literally 100 metres from the Mulligans Flat car park.

The first highlight was a covey of what I believe were 4 PAINTED BUTTON-QUAIL flushed from dry grassy forest. I could not find them again despite clearly seeing where they landed some 50-60 metres away. At the spot where they flushed I couldn't find any platelets. The habitat was stony ridge, wooded with dense grass patches and leaf litter. For those interested the lat/long was 35"09'50 S 149"09'54 E.

No sign of any lorikeets this morning in the far east of the reserve. Although I did find a close-knit marauding flock of some 30 NOISY MINERS. And a single female RED-CAPPED ROBIN by a dam close to the Black Honeyeater site from several years ago among a large mixed feeding flock. The bird had a distinct red cap.

Other birds of interest were a female RUFOUS WHISTLER and a lone VARIED SITTELLA, whose call sounded almost pleading as if it had lost it's flock.

Cheers

Marnix