Today, myself and David
Mitford conducted the Regent Honeyeater and Swift Parrot survey at our usual
spot in the Bulga area (approx. 180 km NW of Sydney CBD in the NSW Hunter
Region).
A pleasant but mainly cool
and overcast day but it hardly rained at all unlike some nearby
areas.
Our first spot was along
Wambo Rd where we saw pretty much the usual but interesting suspects such a
Red-capped, Rose and Scarlet Robins, Speckled Warblers, Buff-rumped and Yellow
Thornbills and White-eared Honeyeaters amongst
others.
Most of the action was
along Wallaby Scrub Rd where there were a number of Honeyeaters attracted to
the flowering Grey Box (Eucalyptus mollucanna) such as White-naped,
Brown-headed, Yellow-faced, Fuscous, White-plumed, Scarlet and Striped
Honeyeaters. Several Noisy Friarbirds (20plus) were also passing through. Other
usual but delightful bush birds included a Wedge-tailed Eagle, 2 Brown Falcons,
Little lorikeets (at least 8, also attracted to these flowering Eucalypts), a
Common Bronzewing, more Red-capped
Robins, Speckled Warblers, a Western Gerygone, Brown Tree-creepers (5 plus),
Rufous Whistlers, Grey-crowned Babblers (common, which included atleast 5 or
more groups all in one area), Restless Flycatcher (the sun came out to reveal
its beautiful shining plumage) and a Diamond Firetail amongst a number of
Double-barred Finches (some of the Double-barred where juv.
birds).
A beautiful adult Spotted
Harrier put on a wonderful display between Wallaby Scrub Rd and Bulga.
Before heading back home I
showed David how easy it is to see a Barn Owl in the Richmond Turf Farms (which
was an Australian tick for David).
Edwin
Vella
