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Hello All,
In spite of the very dry conditions out here we are
still seeing lots of birds, perhaps not in the numbers we see in a good year,
but certainly all the "usual" residents.Because of the floods further West
earlier in the year our water birds haven't reached the numbers that they do in
many other years, when they congregate around our creek, bore drains and
tanks.However, all the Honeyeaters, Parrots and Cockatoos are here, and I hear
the Major Mitchell's off and on all day. I love the way they
chatter and call to find each other The Crimson-wings seem
to have a more brilliant red on their wings this year[maybe my imagination].The
Pardalotes are nesting in the 50 cent size hole in the wall of the
cottage again. My 4 year old grandson, and I have had great fun watching the
bits of nest building material being taken in.
The variety of Raptors have been just absolutely
wonderful in the last 6 to 8 weeks, with not just a solitary sighting but,
probably nearly daily sightings of most.To-day Ian watched a Swamp Harrier
for some time and we are seeing Little Eagles,Black-breasted Buzzards
and the Australian Hobby on a regular basis.Last week we saw a
Square-tailed Kite out in the Mulga/Creek country.The
Whistling Kites gave us a wonderful view of them as they flew
up and down the creek while we were having lunch out there a few Sundays ago.The
Grey Falcon is now being seen again after not having seen it for some
time and it's back in the same area as previous years. Is it nesting
here?
The Rainbow Bee-eaters have been here for
at least 3 weeks, which is fairly early for them out here as it's usually the
last week in September or early October that they are first seen, and we heard a
Dollar Bird last week on the Warrego River, which is also very early
for them as we used to call them Melbourne Cup birds as they arrived around that
time.
Great excitement to-day with a few of us
watching a Latham's Snipe on the edge of a bore drain which has
lots of clumpy grass around the edges.It wouldn't have been 10 metres from the
shearers quarters and we had a great view for about 40 minutes until a
Butcherbird came on the scene.Can't wait to see if it comes
back to-morrow.We must be on the very Western edge of it's range
judging by the map in P.&K.
We have some visitors from overseas here at the
moment and after hearing the Kookas and
Brolgas just about every day of the year, they have now decided
that they are not going to perform.I could just about set my watch by the
evening cacophony of the Kooka's [usually].
Cheerio,
Julie.
Julie McLaren.
"Bowra",
Cunnamulla,Qld.4490
PH. O746551238
FAX 0746552368
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