It's happening apace!
Black-eared Cuckoo calling at Abberton today, and two Pallid Cuckoos around
the valley and another here.
Channel-billed Cuckoos and Dollarbirds are back! Likewise Sacred
Kingfishers, which never go far away, but are now busy chasing each other
and exploring tree-hosted termite mounds for potential nest sites. We have
two regular Azure Kingfishers, interacting discreetly, and a Speckled
Warbler in the closest birdbath this morning.
Callistemons and some of the flowering eucalypts are busy with Scarlet
Honeyeaters, and our eyes are open for Black Honeyeaters which have been
reported recently not too far west of Warwick, and could well be on their
way. Their last irruption here was in 1994 coincidentally, or probably not,
also the last time we experienced such large-scale movement of woodswallows.
Birding today with Mike Rosenzweig from Arizona, we met Pallid Cuckoos,
Banded Lapwings, Ground Cuckoo-shrikes, Tawny Frogmouths (at roost) and a
sleepy not too-high Koala, all within maybe five kilometres and thirty
minutes. Marsh Sandpipers and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers are also around, with
plenty of Whiskered Terns showing signs of breeding plumage.
Just straining my ears to hear my first Koel of the new spring.
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
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