Hi all.
Highlights of a recent trip from Melbourne to Brisbane for SHOC 2000
were visiting the Lockyer and Capertee Valleys and meeting several
Birding-Aus members. This list is such a fantastic way to be in contact
with people with similar interests, and it's always a thrill to meet
list members after reading their (your) emails. The scary thing is
realising that real people are reading what I write!
The Southern Hemisphere Ornithological Congress (SHOC) was held at
Nathan Campus of Griffith Uni. This university is right next to Toohey
Forest in suburban Brisbane. This 640 ha bushland provides a variety of
habitat for wildlife and boasts a list of 136 bird species. Lainie
Berry and I managed to fit in a few walks around Nathan Campus and
Toohey forest, either together or independently. On the first morning
we were lucky enough to see a Pacific Baza being harassed by a couple of
Australian Ravens. On the Campus there are numbers of Torresian Crows,
Noisy Miners, Laughing Kookaburras, and both Grey and Pied
Butcherbirds. One morning I watched a group of eight Pied Butcherbirds
in the forest. They would fly high then suddenly swoop down low, taking
it in turns and calling all the time with their incredibly beautiful
voices. We have plenty of Grey Butcherbirds in Melbourne and their
singing is wonderful, but the Pied voice seems richer and I like the way
they roll their Rs, if you know what I mean. There were lots of
Yellow-faced Honeyeaters in the forest, many fellow visitors from the
south no doubt. Several other species reminded us of home. These
included (in no particular order) Rufous and Golden Whistler, Grey
Fantail, Rainbow Lorikeet, Magpie though with a black rather than a
white back, Grey Shrike-thrush, Spotted Pardalote, Crested Shrike-tit,
Silvereye, White-throated Treecreeper, and Eastern Yellow Robin.
Less familiar were the White-throated Honeyeaters, though they are so
similar to White-naped at first glance. A pair of Scarlet Honeyeaters
was delightful to watch as they chased each other across my path and
amongst the trees. There were also some Pale-headed Rosellas about and
a few Variegated Fairy-wrens.
This was certainly a most appropriate venue for a conference on birds.
It's getting late so I will write about the Lockyer Valley and Capertee
another day.
Cheers for now,
Merrilyn.
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