Near Chili Beach, named by the American troops stationed at Iron Range in
WW II, we SPOTTED WHISTLING-DUCKS in a primeval swamp. Three of them swam
silently to hide behind one of many fallen trees and were then invisible
there from all possible vantage-points. Had we not seen them during that
initial half minute or so the assumption would have been that they weren't
there The views we had were excellent.
At Chili Beach itself, Whimbrel, Common Sandpiper, Gray-tailed Tattler,
Greater & Lesser Sand-Plover, Pacific Golden Plover, Red-necked Stint,
BLACK-NAPED, BRIDLED, LITTLE, Crested & Lesser Crested Terns and Black
Noddy. (Gull-billed Terns previously at Cairns and Lotus Bird Lodge lagoon).
In a tree outside the Art Centre in Lockhart River, three Fawn-Breasted
Bower-birds playing chasings, and we saw more at Portland Roads behind the
mangroves. Klaus found an active bower decorated with green fig-like fruit.
This was a great trip. Rain-forest birding has its moments, and we
didn't get a really good look at the Red-Cheeked Parrot, an effective excuse
to return again sometime.
Cheers
Michael
Michael Hunter
Mulgoa Valley
50km west of Sydney Harbour Bridge
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message
"unsubscribe birding-aus" (no quotes, no Subject line)
to
|