MONDAY December 8th
Arriving at 7 A.M. at Binya State Forest, I revisited the same sites I
had birded last time. Another Black-eared Cuckoo was present, this one being a
fully matured adult with a nice grey back and black ear. There were many species
seen that I missed 3 days previously including:
Mallee
Ringneck
Red-capped Robin
Crested Bellbird
nice close views of one calling from the top of a Cyprus
Pine
Striped Honeyeater
Spiny-Cheeked Honeyeater
Singing Honeyeater
*Painted Honeyeater
Whilst I was attempting to whistle up a Painted Honeyeater, a female
Red-capped Robin came and hovered a metre or two in front of me, at eye level,
looking a bit like a Humming Bird. Perhaps I was the strangest looking Painted
Honeyeater she had ever seen.
Eventually managed to whistle up a Painted Honeyeater back along the
western fence line, about 200 metres south of the entry gate. Another one was
heard calling in the background. Well satisfied that I had achieved all my
target birds (8 new species) for the weekend and saw many other excellent birds,
some for only the second time, I headed for home.
A brief stop on the corner of the highway and Back Creek Road, on the
north western corner of Back Creek State Forest, 13 kms east of West Wyalong,
revealed another five Painted Honeyeaters feeding on the Grey Mistletoe growing
in Acacia omalophylla. In fact there appeared to be suitable habitat for Painted
Honeyeaters continuing east until about 45kms west of Grenfell so many more
could have been around.
A pair of pale morph Little Eagle were cruising over the road near
Ilford just north of Bathurst. And finally after 2,000 kms and just before Denman I saw my first
Black-Shouldered Kite of the trip. Very few raptors were seen the whole
way down.
Cheers
Dick Jenkin
DUNGOG NSW
