Re Scaly Ground-thrush in Syd garden

["Peter and Jenny Farrell" <>]

Emails Re sightings of Scaly Ground-thrush in an Avalon garden on Thurs
evening (Sydneys northern beaches) Thought Alans reply was of interest to
all.

Jenny,
It is not unusual for Bassian Thrushes to come into gardens in autumn as
they migrate out of the cold rainforest gullies of the higher mountains of
south-eastern Australia -Rose Robins & Golden Whistlers do the same thing.
Sometimes in very dry years many birds come into the gardens of the coastal
cities.I was very taken with the photo! Not only does he photo the bird but
competes with Trevor Quested by putting it on the net!! The facial pattern,
while not totally diagnostic shows that it is a Bassian Thrush and not a
Russet-tailed Thrush. The latter has white in the tail, and black arm pits
under an otherwise white under-wing and should not occur as far south as
Sydney, although there are one or two old Central Coast records!.

Happy Easter Holidays and Anzac Day

Alan Morris