I spent half an hour this morning (Wednesday) observing the
Orange-bellied Parrot on the heathland at Maroubra. Given its habits,
and the nature of the terrain, you would have to be lucky to find it,
and I was. It was flushed round about the spot where Edwin Vella found
it. I would define this spot as being halfway between the two large
white notices along the cliff-path out to the headland. It was on the
southern side of this path. I had to flush it twice before it settled
in a low dead bush where I could observe it in comfort from about 15
metres distance. I managed to get the scope on it, and so got a very
detailed picture, mostly of its back. It never did the 'full Monty' to
show me its orange belly properly, but twice turned sufficiently to show
that it had one. Nor did I get a view of the bands it is said to
carry. But with that clear view filling the scope, I could see the
beginnings of blue feathering round its forehead; it seemed generally
scruffy, and is perhaps just developing adult plumage. Once or twice it
'mantled', giving a perfect view of the magnificent blue on its wings.
When a Horsfield's Bronze-cuckoo called it got particularly nervous, and
eventually dropped out of sight into the dense scrub below. I decided to
disturb it no more. Having overshot its goal by so far, let's hope it
survives long enough to get home to Tassie. There was a mean and
hungry-looking Brown Goshawk about in the area.
John Clifton-Everest
--
Associate Professor John M. Clifton-Everest
Department of Germanic Studies
University of Sydney
(61) (2) 9351 2262
Fax (61) (2) 9351 5318
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