Some GBS obs

["Philip Veerman" <>]

Three weeks ago I saw the group of 7 White-winged Choughs in my local park, the far side of the park that I consider as outside my 100 metres. Being agreeable birds that like to stay together and mostly inhabit the terrestrial system, it was not too hard to go around the back of them and gently walk behind them to move them into the right side of the park. This was only the third ever incursion of that species into my GBS in 25 years. It wasn't really necessary to push them as they have now been on my driveway, in the neighbour's yard etc, well within the 100M, several times over the last three weeks. Always 7 birds so no doubt the same ones.

 

Yesterday across the road a fast attacking pair of magpies alerted me to that they were chasing a Collared Sparrowhawk that was chasing a pair of Crested Pigeons. I didn't see how that ended but it seemed that the Crested Pigeons were travelling at sufficient speed to get away. As I tried to unsuccessfully refind them, I came across a big mixed flock of Striated Thornbills, Weebills, Silvereyes and Spotted Pardalotes. At the centre of the group was on Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo. All this was without the benefit of any binoculars on my part but I then saw the HBC another three times and the Striated Thornbills seemed flustered by it being there. Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoos are far from common here in May.

 

Philip