It was surprising warm in the sun this morning at Callum Brae. Amongst the regular woodland birds, a few observations of interest:
- my first olive-backed oriole of the year calling – always from the tree ahead of the one you are looking at, it seems. Beautifully plumaged when finally seen, pink plastic-looking bill, bright green back, and some light green on the breast (so presumably a male).
- a pair of kestrels with one being solidly mobbed by a pair of sulphur-crested cockatoos – solidly meaning the kestrel was being knocked around in the sky. The other kestrel of the pair remained flying nearby, seemingly unconcerned. Eventually all birds flew off.
- the loud two-note call of a white-eared honeyeater that turned out to be made by a pied currawong. The currawong was also mimicking more softly at least one other song that I could not recognise.
- a pair of black falcons, one distinctly larger than the other, that came fast from the direction of Geosciences Australia then soared away over Mugga Hill. Good long views so could distinguish clearly from possible dark-morph brown falcon. One (presumably the female) was distinctly larger than the other (presumably the male). First I have heard of a pair of black falcons locally.
Steve
