Had the very good fortune to be in the Capertee Valley (central NSW) last
week. After a very productive day in which 60-70 birdwatchers and locals
planted several thousand trees I was free to check out the Regent
Honeyeater situation (the primary purpose of the visit). I had Jun Matsui,
a visiting Japanese birdwatcher with me. Jun had already spent about three
months in Brisbane and a week in Sydney and had seen over 200 species. Jun
added 31 new species while in the valley was well as another 14 new species
outside the valley or on the trip back to Melbourne with me (he was
scheduled to go to Melbourne anyway - I did not kidnap him! Details of
these in another posting).
First of all, apologies to those who have recently been in the valley
looking for various goodies which I am about to say were common. By virtue
of my past association with the valley - researching Regent Honeyeaters
there from 1994-98 - I have access to many of the properties that
birdwatchers do not. I have taken some birdwatchers who have helped with
my fieldwork onto these properties but always insist that landholders are
not approached about getting access at a later date. We have worked very
hard at cultivating good relationships and most landholders insist that
they do not want people having free access to their land. A reasonable
position - put yourself in their place.
Anyway, I was very pleased to see that Regent Honeyeaters were starting to
return to their traditional breeding sites. Although not able to cover all
sites in the two and a half days I had available I located about 20 pairs
in some form of breeding activity from defending territories, nest building
to incubating. It is early days yet and I suspect many more will arrive
over the next month or so.
Other highlights were flocks totalling 400-500 Plum-headed Finches on a
property near Glen Alice. This species is resident at this location. When
this species is seen elsewhere in the valley it is generally at a time when
some finches have dispersed from this location. Among the Plum-heads were
large numbers of Zebra Finch and smaller numbers of Diamond Firetail and
Red-browed Finch.
Saw Turquoise Parrot on several occasions but Jun missed all but fleeting
glimpses until the last morning while I was packing the car in readiness to
leave. Hearing Turqs I got Jun and we located a male about 100 metres from
the house. Excellent views in a small tree before he flew onto a stump
where magnificent views were had. He called and a female appeared from the
stump and the two flew away. The hollow was empty but undoubtedly
egg-laying was imminent.
Other highlights included Red-capped Robins (plenty of these in the right
places), Hooded Robin, Speckled Warbler, White-backed Swallow (seen daily)
and plenty of cuckoos. A total of 112 species in three days birding, most
of which was in "clapped-out Regent Honeyeater country". Those that helped
me in my field work in the valley know what these means - essentially
cleared paddocks.
Full list of birds seen in the Capertee Valley follows
David Geering
Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophora
Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata
Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
Grey Teal Anas gracilis
Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Little Pied Cormorant Phalocrocorax melanoleucos
White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae
Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis
Black-shouldered Kite Elanus axillaris
Brown Goshawk Accipter fasciatus
Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax
Little Eagle Hieraaetus morphnoides
Brown Falcon Falco berigora
Australian Hobby Falco longipennis
Nankeen Kestrel Falco cenchroides
Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
Painted Button-quail Turnix varia
Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
Rock Dove Columba livia
Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera New for Jun
Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
Peaceful Dove Geopelia placida
Gang-gang Cockatoo Callocephalon fimbriatum
Galah Cacatua roseicapilla
Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita
Musk Lorikeet Glossopsitta concinna New for Jun
Little Lorikeet Glossopsitta pusilla
Australian King-Parrot Alisterus scapularis
Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans
Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius
Red-rumped Parrot Psephotus haematonotus
Turquoise Parrot Neophema pulchella New for Jun
Pallid Cuckoo Cuculus pallidus New for Jun
Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis
Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo Chrysococcyx basalis New for Jun
Shining Bronze-Cuckoo Chrysococcyx lucidus
Barking Owl Ninox connivens New for Jun
Southern Boobook Ninox novaeseelandiae New for Jun
Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sancta
White-throated Treecreeper Cormobates leucophaea
Brown Treecreeper Climacteris picumnus Breeding, New for Jun
Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus Breeding
Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus
Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus Breeding
White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis
Speckled Warbler Chthonicola sagittata New for Jun
Weebill Smicrornis brevirostris New for Jun
Western Gerygone Gerygone fusca New for Jun
Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
Buff-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza reguloides New for Jun
Yellow-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa Breeding
Yellow Thornbill Acanthiza nana
Striated Thornbill Acanthiza lineata
Southern Whiteface Aphelocephala leucopsis New for
Jun
Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata
Striped Honeyeater Plectorhyncha lanceolata
Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus
Regent Honeyeater Xanthomyza phrygia Breeding, New for Jun
Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Yellow-faced Honeyeater Lichenostomus chrysops
Yellow-tufted Honeyeater Lichenostomus melanops
Fuscous Honeyeater Lichenostomus fuscus New for Jun
White-plumed Honeyeater Lichenostomus penicillatus Breeding
Black-chinned Honeyeater Melithreptus gularis New for Jun
Brown-headed Honeyeater Melithreptus brevirostris New for
Jun
White-naped Honeyeater Melithreptus lunatus
New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris
Jacky Winter Microeca fascinans New for Jun
Red-capped Robin Petroica goodenovii New for Jun
Hooded Robin Melanodryas cucullata New for Jun
Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis
Grey-crowned Babbler Pomatostomus temporalis New for
Jun
White-browed Babbler Pomatostomus superciliosus New for
Jun
Varied Sittella Daphoenositta chrysoptera
Crested Shrike-tit Falcunculus frontatus
Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris
Grey Shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica
Restless Flycatcher Myiagra inquieta New for Jun
Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca
Grey Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa
Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae
White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike Coracina papuensis New for Jun
Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus
Dusky Woodswallow Artamus cyanopterus Breeding, New for Jun
Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus
Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogularis
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen Breeding
Pied Currawong Strepera graculina
Australian Raven Corvus coronoides
White-winged Chough Corcorax melanorhamphos Breeding,
New for Jun
Richard's Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae
House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata New for Jun
Double-barred Finch Taeniopygia bichenovii
Plum-headed Finch Neochmia modesta New for Jun
Red-browed Firetail Neochmia temporalis
Diamond Firetail Stagonopleura guttata New for Jun
Mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum
White-backed Swallow Cheramoeca leucosternus New for
Jun
Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena Breeding
Tree Martin Hirundo nigricans Breeding
Fairy Martin Hirundo ariel Breeding
Rufous Songlark Cinclorhamphus mathewsi New for Jun
Silvereye Zosterops lateralis
Common Blackbird Turdus merula
Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
Number of taxa 112
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