Hi everyone,
Best birding experience from a whole year is pretty hard to decide
on. It hasn't been a particularly exciting year with my only out of Vic trip
to Tasmania in September. Best experiences there were spotting a flock of
swift parrots from the car while driving (actually nearly ran off the road)
and after driving alongside them seeing them land and getting great views of
them feeding in a mixed flock with musk lorikeets. Also enjoyed my first
sighting of Pink Robins, a beautiful flash of colour in the gloom of Mt.
Field NP.
Best twitching weekend was at the Little Desert in Autumn when I got
White-fronted Honeyeater, Purple-gaped Honeyeater and Shy Hylacola on one
day. Also very exciting was seeing large flocks of Banded Stilts near the
Little Desert in Spring. However the best experience for the year was
probably when we followed a Lyrebird for about half an hour at Tarra Bulga NP
in SE Victoria. It was in full view for much of the time and gave a pretty
full vocal repertoire including calls of rosellas, kookaburras, magpies, a
couple of honeyeaters (including the sound of honeyeater wings flapping while
chasing each other) scrubwrens and I'm sure some I've forgotten and couldn't
distinguish at the time.
Thanks to everyone for all the information and interesting
observations during the year, especially to Russell for starting and
maintaing the list. Reading the mail probably makes my working day longer
but certainly more enjoyable. Hope everyone has a very enjoyable Christmas
break and may next year bring at least some of the sightings you hope for.
Best Wishes
John Boyce
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
|
