Last weekend, after 8 hours of dedicated searching over two days
starting near first light each day, Dick Norton and I managed great
views of three Chestnut-breasted Whitefaces (CBWs) 27 km north of
Lyndhurst in S.A.
This was my fifth trip to the area but the first time I had seen CBWs.
Some cynics may say the dificulity I had in in finding CBWs is due to a
lack of skill on the part of the bird watcher but I suspect the reason
has more to do with the fact that CBWs are rare and thinly distributed.
The birds we saw were in bluebush on top of a high ridge approx 2 km due
West of the old Avondale mine site mentioned on p. 169 of Thomas &
Thomas. (Most sightings appear to be from near the top of ridges.)
In fact it turned out to be not too bad a weekend at all. Other species
of interest out of a total of 44 in the vicinity, including along the
Lyndhurst - Marree road, were Orange & Crimson Chats, Gibberbird,
Australian Pratincole, Inland Dotterel, Red-backed Kingfisher, Rufous
Calamanthus, Masked, Black-faced, White-browed & White-breasted
Woodswallows, Budgerigar, White-browed Babbler (one only), Chirruping
Wedgebill, Cinnamon Quail-thrush, Diamond Dove, White-winged Triller and
Little Button-quail.
Bob Sothman
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