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This morning myself and David Koffel spent a couple of hours
birding at Mitchell Park (in Cattai, north-west of Sydney) with the objective of
finding Davids first Painted Button-quail in which we
successfully achieved. Excellent views were had of a pair together clearly
showing how the female is much larger and brightly coloured than the male. There
were lots of signs of there round platelets all over the ridge about the
junction of the rainforest walk and the Old Man Banksia trail. This must be a
regular little area for them as there has been several sightings over the past
few weeks here and at other times in the past. Also seen in the vicinity were
one of each "light phase" and "black phase" of White-bellied
Cuckoo-shrikes (the later resembling a Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike with a
clean-cut black bib. This phase is the one I have most frequently encountered
over several years compared to the light-phase White-bellied and can be
over-looked by observers who don't know their call being a very distinctive and
quite parrot like "kisseeek"). Also here were 4 very
querious Chestnut-rumped Heathwrens (including atleast one
young bird with a rufous throat and belly and pink gape) aswell as a pair of
Common Bronzewings. It was also interesting to see 5 male Variegated Wrens in
nice colour all feeding together. The 2 Yellow-tufted Honeyeater chicks also
seen last week have fledged with much adult plumage but could barely fly much.
Pallid Cuckoo's and White-throated Gerygones
aswell as many more Scarlet Honeyeaters (attracted to
the flowering Ironbarks) have returned to Mitchell Park. A Rose Robin
was also still present.
A brief visit at the turf farms at Richmond revealed several
Brown Quail, Singing Bushlark, Horsfields Bronze-cuckoo, 2
Australasian Shovelers (in a small pool), aswell as 2
Pacific Herons.
Edwin
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