But firstly, Trevor Ford has queried why I said there were six Painted
Snipe in the photo I posted the other day – given that he found seven in it! Well, he’s right of
course, being the inveterate turner-upper of Painted Snipe that he is, Trevor
spotted the one sitting on the bank facing the opposite way to the others. The
total of birds there remains at only seven, not eight, but I had been wondering
where the other one had got to in that photo!
Lots of raptors about yesterday. A visitor from England came out for the
day, and we ran into Whistling Kites and a Black Kite when we were barely
outside the gate, then a Spotted Harrier just a couple of kilometres away,
White-bellied Sea-eagle, Black-shouldered Kite, Brown Goshawk, as well as
around thirty or more Nankeen Kestrels during the day.
While we were on the verandah after dinner the other night, a very smart
Nankeen Night-heron dropped in for a walk-about in the creek shallows, picking
up morsels as he went. There was just enough light to get a good look at him in
the ‘scope, a handsome bird in bright rufous-cinnamon breeding plumage,
sporting a smart black cap. He seemed completely unaware or unconcerned about
us, allowing us that special feeling of taking a privileged look into a secret
night-time world. In the morning, the night-heron was long gone of course, but
we had our breakfast in the company of one Royal and one Yellow-billed
Spoonbill sweeping their way, synchronised swimmer-like, through the same
shallows.
Oh, yes, White-throated Needletails racing ahead of the weather on
Wednesday 27th.
Bill Jolly
“Abberton”,
Lockyer Valley,
Queensland.
Visit our website at http://www.abberton.org
Email:
Ph: (+61) 7
4697 6111 Fax: (+61) 7 4697 6056
