Upon entering the gate about twenty big white blossom birds flew up shattering the grave-yard stillness. As the cockies issued out across an adjacent paddock another twenty
or so, together with a smattering of Galahs, rose to join them and the mob swooped about the sky in wild abandon. Thirty seconds later they closed ranks, described a wide semi circle and struck off in the direction of Hall. When the tumult and the squawking
died other birds departed for a while but as activity picked up I checked off 18 species over 45 minutes.
Highlights: A Pallid Cuckoo prostrate and still as stone near the end of a dead horizontal limb. I’ve occasionally noticed them in this posture before and wonder if it’s
a gravid female keeping a nest under surveillance until the time is ripe to move in, lay and leave. Perhaps this is common knowledge ... dunno ... too lazy, I mean tired to check my books.
A male Flame Robin perched on a fence, his red plumage positively glowing in the morning sun. Given it’s spring, he was probably heading back to the snow gum woodlands.
Five Superb Parrots flying overhead towards Belconnen.
Ten or more Tree Martins flying around and through a large gum tree, but I didn’t notice any alight.
Seven Varied Sittellas brought someone else’s analogy to mind, “... feathered mice scampering down a rough-hewn grandfather clock.”
John Layton
Holt.
