Afternoon all
The Painted Snipe on the Lake Road were still there this morning. Initially neither bird was really obvious but eventually the female did come in to the open and show herself after a White-faced Heron flew low over where they were roosting,
while the male stayed in the grass.
There were no whistle-ducks on the Burrows Lane Dam and on initial inspection, apart from several hundred Common Starlings on the bank, it appeared to be lifeless until we got out of the car and disturbed a mixed flock of about 100 Grey
Teal, Australian Wood Ducks, and a few Pacific Black Ducks.
Has anyone seen the Watson Apostlebird recently? I have a Canadian birder coming out with me next week and it would be nice to show it to him. A quick visit to the site at about 1130 this morning only showed a man with two toddlers and
a largish dog at the pond where the bird is normally found. Unfortunately for the coots and their chicks, and perhaps the Apostlebird, they were being disturbed as the man continually threw a ball into the water for the dog to chase. He, his kids and the dog
left rather hurriedly when I appeared on the scene!!
Mark
