Tony
A short note to let you know the Rock Thrush is still around.
At 0535 (Queensland Time) on 22 November in company with Brian Patten and
Daryl Price we observed the bird in the Sea Cave area near Paradise Point
for about 30 mins before it disappeared to the north towards Devil's Kitchen
Headland.
This is the first twitch I have done in a long time. Had all the notes I
have read in birding-aus said something more about the behaviour of the bird
and the habitat frequented by the Rock Thrush it would have made the search,
and success, that much easier. Gladly, we had a challenge and it was more
from deducing how the bird was originally seen (i.e. looking for Wandering
Tattlers) that we worked out where the bird was likely to be.
We spread our search effort and concentrated on working the tideline to the
upper pandanus line where it merges generally into banksia. Having arrived
at 0400 at first light it was Brian who located the bird appearing to peck
at dead pandanus branches and in the underlying litter just above the sea
cave at 0535. The bird moved up towards the banksia line and then worked its
way back down and disappeared into the large cave.
We went into the cave and found the roost. The amount of faeces would be
consistent with about 30 days residency. The bird flushed when we
investigated and gradually worked along the rocks below the pandanus line
until it disappeared around a headland north about 30 minutes after the
first sighting.
As there is a significant cost to "twitching" it would be most useful if
observers could give some detail about behaviour and habitat as well as
saying "I've ticked it". I may have introduced a cost factor, but, it is
there and I am sure people like me on a tight budget, would like as much
information as possible, if they are to make the effort in chasing vagrants.
Sadly for me the bird did not utter a sound and from what I have learn't, it
was most unlikely anyway. Did anyone hear the Thrush utter a sound?
David Stewart
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