Hi Everyone.
This morning I spent 2 hours walking my favourite heath birding spot, Red
Hill on Sydney's northern beaches. There was the usual Double-barred
Finches, Bar-shouldered Doves and honeyeaters including a Lewin's Honeyeater
which was a first for Red Hill. 2 Brush Bronzewings at diffirent locations
and a total of 14 Brown Quail in 3 groups, all adults however, no young
birds as there was last year.
There were 2 Lewin's Rail feeding on the track with one group of Quail, the
Lewins kept to the shaded portion of the track avoiding full sunlight while
the quail fed out into the sunlight. There was some interaction between the
Quail and the Rail, twice I saw a Quail run at one of the Rail and the rail
responded by jumping[ or stretching] up and raising it's wings above it's
body. My impression was that the Quail were getting the better of the
encounter.
I was about 100m from my car when 3 Swifts flew overhead, first there was a
very brief glimpse of 2 which I thought to be White-throated Needletails
then later a 3rd. swift which appeared to have a longer pointed tail and
something different about the white markings, after some thought I concluded
the lower belly and undertail was dark. This would make it a Fork-tailed and
my first for the county. However I must stress that again this was a very
brief sighting
I wonder if some of you Swift experts might like to comment on: A] the
chances of a F/T in the Sydney region and B] the frequency of F/Ts. in
coastal N.S.W. this year. My impression is that there has been more F/Ts.
reported on Birding-aus this year.
Mike. Later the same morning I took Jean shopping at the local shopping
centre at Forrestville and there were approx. 20 Needletails overhead.
Bruce.
Bruce Cox.
48 Rangers Retreat Rd. Frenchs Forest.
Sydney. 2086. Australia.
Phone:--02 9451 5394.
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