Today I conducted the above
surveys with the assistance of Stan Jones and David Mitford at my usual areas in
Bulga (in the NSW Hunter region around 200 km north-west of Sydney CBD). Though
overcast, it was a mainly dry day with a moderate cool breeze.
The large numbers of both
Yellow-faced and White-naped Honeyeaters were apparent so were the abundance of
both Spotted and Striated Pardalotes (at one time a flock of a hundred or so
Pardalotes, probably all Striated, flew between the eucalypts). However, we did
not notice any of the Eucalypts in flower or Mistletoes in fruit. Some of the good finds today included a
single Wedge-tailed Eagle, an Australian Hobby, one Turquoise Parrot, Fan-tailed
and Shinning Bronze-cuckoos, several of each Rose, Red-capped, Scarlet, Hooded
and Eastern Yellow Robins, many Speckled Warblers (as often the case here, with
many singing), a few mobs of Grey-crowned Babblers, loads of both Weebills and
Buff-rumped Thornbills, Brown
Treecreepers (4), Brown-headed (40 plus) and a few Striped Honeyeaters, as well
as large numbers of Double-barred Finches with a few Diamond Firetails (atleast
4) with them. What was interesting also was the number of over-wintering birds
such as a few Rufous Songlarks (2-3), Rufous Whistlers, Restless Flycatcher,
White-throated (1) and Western (3) Gerygones.
We thought we were going to go by
the day without seeing any of the target species but this was no the case. Just
before we were about to head back home, a SWIFT PARROT flew over the trees
heading south giving its unmistakable call and showing clearly it red under
wings. Great!
Edwin Vella
