On Saturday 10th April, I was at the Charles Darwin Nature Reserve
(formerly White Wells Station about 350km NE of Perth) with the WA
Naturalists Club. John Luyer and I went looking for an Inland Dotterel
that had been seen three days earlier in a paddock about 1km from the
homestead. We were walking through the paddock when we heard bird calls
that John and I thought were probably babblers. We walked over to the
general area from where we heard the calls. Two Pied Butcherbirds flew
away from off the ground. I initially thought they had just been
squabbling. A third Pied Butcherbird also lifted off dragging a bird in
its feet. I tentatively identified the caught bird as a Stubble Quail (and
I was glad that it didn't seem to be the Inland Dotterel!).
We slowly followed the butcherbirds to get a better look. They flew a
number of times, and it appeared that different birds were carrying the
quail. An immature was carrying it at one point. Finally we got a good
view of an adult Pied Butcherbird with the prey on a small fallen log. As
it dragged it on to the log, I clearly identified the prey as a Stubble
Quail. The butcherbird then started to feed. I wonder whether this has
been previously recorded?
_________________________________________________________________
Frank O'Connor Birding WA http://birdingwa.iinet.net.au
Phone : (08) 9386 5694 Email :
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