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Hi All,
I have had the task (poor me!) of caretaking Rose
Gum Wilderness Retreat over the last few weeks and got in some great
birding.
There wee a few disappointments like that the
Red-necked Crakes and Bush Hens while calling most days have not been good
enough to show themselves. The Blue-faced Parrot-finches also did not put on a
show every time we looked but life goes on despite the
disappointments.
On 19/02 I was watching a couple of Needletail
Swifts close to the house and some White-rumped Swiftletts returning to Mt
Bartle Frere across the valley when my attention was taken by two birds deep in
the valley below. They seemed to be swifts with some white below, short bodies
and significant white on their rump or back. This was not always visible
but when it was stood out remarkably. The birds were a long way off and even
with the telescope I could not much improve on my observations. After consulting
first field guides and then other reference books I was still
confused.
Next day there was a flock of over 250 Needletails
working the gap between Bartle Frere and Mt Bellenden Ker and the Mulgrave
Valley. At certain angles when the birds were below the height of Rose Gums
their backs flashed a brilliant white. That little bit of white on the inside of
the wing seemed to light up the whole back. Perhaps the birds were in fresh
moult. Anyway the mystery of the day before was solved. If only this would
always happen.
Just a quick addendum for those who bird from bed
here is what I remember of a recent morning's
effort!
Pied, Spectacled and Black-faced Monarchs seen and
Leaden heard.
Eastern Whipbird
Large-billed Scrubwren
Brown Gerygone
Macleay's, Lewin's and Dusky
Honeyeaters
Victoria's Riflebird
Little Shrike-thrush
Brush Turkey
Heard only:-
O.F. Scrubfowl
Pied Currawong
Laughing Kookaburra
Silvereye
Brown Honeyeater and Helmeted
Friarbird
Also seen:-
Boyd's forest Dragon
Musky Rat-kangaroo
Cairns Birdwing and Australian Vagrant
Butterflies
To have kept a complete list would have meant
getting up for a note book and fearing this would be against the rules I just
lay back and took in the view.
Regards,
Alan Gillanders
Alan's Wildlife Tours
On the beautiful Atherton
Tablelands
145* 33' 25"E 17* 16' 40"S
(07)
4095 3784
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