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Report of MACBOCA outing to Crediton State Forest 13-8-2000
As our convoy of 3 cars (8 birders) climbed Eungella Range the change
in temperature became as obvious as the wind that was blowing the treetops
around. So when we pulled up at the first potential Eungella Honeyeater
site in the Crediton State Forest we were well rugged up. Eungella
Honeyeaters were seen almost immediately, chasing one another in the tree
tops and down through lower branches then up again through the canopy
of Forest Red Gums, Lemon Scented Gums and Bloodwoods, then down to almost
ground level through the lantana. For this is winter-nearly Spring, and
the Eungella Honeyeaters have left the Rain forest and have been building
up on the protein from insects and lerps living in the fringing sclerophyll
forests in preparation for the breeding season in September. The almost
frantic activity is most probably mate selection as several pairs flew
together and threesomes quarrelled loudly and energetically about who should
be with who. The air rang with their assertive calls and the 8 of us tried
to focus on a particular bird at a time as it hurried from branch to branch
and from tree to tree. Often one or two would stop long enough for us to
admire- sometimes even close enough, and in the right light, to admire
that wonderful lavender eye!
Eventually the magic faded enough for us to to appreciate the other
species as well. Yellow Faced Honeyeaters were in there too, Rufous Whistlers
and Grey Shrike-thrushes, the White-naped Honeyeater, easily identified
by the red eye and even the Brown Quail were calling.
The scenario was repeated at the next stop with the addition of (one
only) Little Lorikeet feeding in the flowering Lemon-scented Gums. By the
end of the day we had observed 52 species (list included). Quite
a satisfying experience!
Les Thyer
52
Brown Quail
White-faced Heron
Squatter Pigeon
Topknot Pigeon
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Rainbow Lorikeet
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet
Little Lorikeet
Pale-headed Rosella
Fan-tailed Cuckoo
Gould's Bronze-Cuckoo
Laughing Kookaburra
Rainbow Bee-eater
White-throated Treecreeper
Red-backed Fairy-wren
Spotted Pardalote
Striated Pardalote
White-browed Scrubwren
Large-billed Scrubwren
Brown Gerygone
White-throated Gerygone
Brown Thornbill
Buff-rumped Thornbill
Noisy Friarbird
Blue-faced Honeyeater
Eungella Honeyeater
White-throated Honeyeater
Yellow-faced Honeyeater
White-naped Honeyeater
White-cheeked Honeyeater
Eastern Spinebill
Dusky Honeyeater
Scarlet Honeyeater
Jacky Winter
Eastern Yellow Robin
Eastern Whipbird
Varied Sittella
Rufous Whistler
Grey Shrike-thrush
Leaden Flycatcher
Restless Flycatcher
Magpie-Lark
Grey Fantail
Willie Wagtail
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike
Pied Butcherbird
Australian Magpie
Pied Currawong
Torresian Crow
Red-browed Finch
Silvereye
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