Hi everyone
Have just returned from a magic week away, based in Bellingen and visiting
coastal rainforest and the Dorrigo rainforest (520
km north of Sydney). Apparently there had been heavy rain during the previous
fortnight but it was dry, with crisp winter
days while I was there.
The cottage that I stayed at in Bellingen was set amongst the trees, bringing
the birds only a metre away from the verandah.
Oh wow: Green Catbird, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, White-headed Pigeon, Bassian Thrush,
Topknot Pigeon were just some of the birds
right there.
You'll see that the list includes Green Catbird - finally, I've seen this bird
after so many years. It sure shows you the
meaning of "locally common" as these birds were dripping out of the trees at
Bongil Bongil National Park, Dorrigo and
Bellingen, whereas I've never seen them at Palmdale or other areas just north
of Sydney where they supposedly were.
Dorrigo National Park's Skywalk was fantastic for the canopy view, including
clear views of Regent Bowerbirds. What's that?
Oh wow again: Paradise Riflebird, another lifer. A female landed on a lichen
covered branch out in the open, prised at the
bark and provided fantastic views.
And so I've finally sneaked up to 547 Australian lifers. It's a slow climb.
Some other nice sightings were:
Brahminy Kites at Macksville at Mylestom
Flocks of c100 of Straw-necked Ibis in paddocks, plus large flocks of Cattle
Egret and Little Egret
White-bellied Sea-Eagles near Port Macquarie and at Mylestom
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet at Mylestom
Australian Hobby at Bellingen
Crested Shrike-tit right in the Dorrigo rainforest
Plenty of Yellow-throated Scrubwrens around, with some very vocal ones giving
"chk" and "tick" sounds mixed with a very sweet
song
Logrunners quietly scratching in the deepest shade under shrubs
Large-billed Scrubwrens a-plenty
At Cathedral Rock National Park, a Superb Lyrebird mimicked Yellow-tailed
Black-Cockatoo, Red Wattlebird, Pied Currawong,
Golden Whistler and Crimson Rosella. Nearby were Scarlet Robins, Brown-headed
Honeyeater.
For the orchid nuts, there was Acianthus exiguus in flower at Bongil Bongil,
which would be about its southern limit.
Cheers and Happy Times with Nature
Irene Denton
Concord West, 12 km from Sydney city, NSW Australia
S 33°50.278' E 151°05.406'
Newsletter Editor: NSW Bird Atlassers
Preferred email address:
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message
"unsubscribe birding-aus" (no quotes, no Subject line)
to
|
