Have enjoyed some interesting birding in the last few days.
A visit to some mallee areas north of Inglewood was as bird-filled as always
with a great variety of honeyeaters coming down to drink at a dam, allowing
fantastic views of many species including White-fronted and Tawny-crowned
Honeyeaters plus Diamond Firetail.
But surprise of the visit there was a female Leaden/Satin Flycatcher. From
the views I had it was almost certainly a Leaden, and that would fit better
in a drier scrubbier habitat also. This is the first time I've seen this
species anywhere north of the divide in Victoria; the Atlas of Vic birds
suggest they can be found further up the Murray valley(Barmah?) and
sometimes around the Castlemaine district(and further south). Unexpected for
sure!
On Saturday I took part in the BOCA bird challenge around Cohuna with Chris
Coleborn and Dave Coons (a visiting Canadian). Highlights as follows:
White-backed Swallows at Timms lake (just north of Terrick Terrick)
In the Terricks NP numbers of White-browed Woodswallows with some Masked and
juveniles of both species. All the usual suspects such as Gilbert's
Whistlers,Black-chinned Honeyeater, Hooded,Red-capped and an EasternYellow
Robin, Western Gerygone, Mallee Ringnecks, 2 Black Falcons circling low over
the mount for some time, and glorious views of a nesting pair of Painted
Honeyeaters still attending their little nest in a small and quite exposed
eucalypt.
Spotted Harrier and Rufous Songlark along the railway line near Mologa, but
no Black Honeyeaters found despite the eremophilas flowering well.
Richardson's lagoon near Torrumbarry had plenty of duck including many
broods of Grey Teal and Black Duck.
And later in the day a slosh out into the middle of Hirds swamp was well
worth while with plenty of waders, mainly Sharpies (500++), plus a variety
of other species, couldn't find the Golden Plover seen previously, however a
White-winged Black Tern made up for that.
Other birds for the Cohuna list included a White-fronted Honeyeater ( in my
reveg at home!), a nesting pair of Brolgas having another try at the
recently washed out wetland on the Calivil creek west of Pyramid Hill, and
NO Bee-eaters!!!!
I'd have to concur with Keith Stockwell's comments earlier, there seem to be
birds missing from some regular haunts, though I have found an active nest
in the Terricks recently, and seen birds near Lake Boga this spring.
Also seen,
Millions of locusts!
Cheers,
Simon Starr.
--------------------------------------------
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
--------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message:
'unsubscribe birding-aus' (no quotes, no Subject line)
to
|
