and it continues....
---
Perched on 112 species, they were a few down on last year at the same stage and
knew that the double-Bittern tick of 2005 would be nigh impossible due to the
lack of water at Quipolly Dam. Nonetheless, they were pretty happy with the
tally and even happier as the ‘big 3’ on the plains fell within a few
kilometres of each other, being Barn and Boobook Owls and Tawny Frogmouth. A
time-consuming detour to a western woodland yielded only a calling Owlet
Nightjar, which was to be the last true nocturnal bird, although attempts at
Bitterns at alternative locations along the way produced some niceties such as
Glossy Ibis, Black-fronted Dotterel and Plumed Whistling Duck. It was a late
arrival at camp this year, with the time spent setting up tents roughly
equating with the time then spent within them.
Soon after, the magical rainforest dawn chorus slowly accelerated into song.
Always an exciting part of the Twitch, as the tally probably grows more rapidly
for the Brewers at this time than any other stage of the 24hrs. Generally, it
was a classic case of ‘the usual suspects’, although the normally reliable
Russet-tailed Thrush tagged out in favour of Bassian Thrush, which the Brewers
often struggle to find. The best part was, the ‘usual suspects’ still meant
they had added 22 species before leaving camp. The Brewers are also grateful to
the obliging Brush Turkeys that seem to have taken up residence at the
campsite, meaning they can ‘peg one back’ on the teams that go to Barrington
House.
Paradise Riflebird was the next to fall at the same site as last year, at the
exact place where White-naped Honeyeaters are heard each Twitch. A calling
Pheasant Coucal was a relief as always. Ticking like clockwork, the boys
happily moved on to their ‘rainforest mop-up’ sites, where numerous Topknot
Pigeons were seen as well as numerous other birds, but little else that was
new. Steve was expressing concerns at the potential implications of the
rainforest dips (such as Regent Bowerbird, Wompoo Fruit-Dove and Noisy Pitta),
though Mick remained quietly confident as these are never ‘shoe birds’. His
confidence was also partly due to the fact that the Brewers were on 164 species
by the time they’d left the wet forests behind…and it had only just passed 8am.
The most entertaining tick of the Twitch soon followed as the car slowed to
inspect a group of Corella’s quietly chewing pine cones at eye level in a tree
on the roadside. As soon as it became obvious they were not Little Corella’s
yet again, Larry Landcruiser erupted into a thunderous chorus of
“Long-billeds!!”. A classic bogey-bird down and it was onwards to the Paterson
area where Grey-crowned Babblers and a very obliging Buff-banded Rail grazing
on a front lawn were added. The penultimate woodland site produced Variegated
Fairy-Wren and Little Lorikeet, along with the first of many Pallid Cuckoos.
This site was an area that the Brewers had half-expected to tick other teams,
as it is critical habitat for Hunter Thickheads and WoW alike…but alas they
dipped this year.
A blessing in disguise soon followed as Larry was halted at roadworks near
Woodville, much to the dismay of the team. However, after a couple of minutes
Mick Brew excitedly jumped out of the car, swearing that he’d heard a Brown
Songlark. All ears were angled towards the paddock from whence the call had
come, but alas it could not be heard…then Mick cried “there it is!” and sure
enough a male Brown Songlark, perched proudly on a fence post…another maiden
bird for the Brewers and something of a bonus bird for the Sunday run. En-route
to Walka Water Works in Maitland, Steve Brew pointed out a Goldfinch perched on
top of a thistle, another relative bonus bird. WWW itself was productive in
producing a male Blue-billed Duck and surprisingly, the first Aussie Grebe for
the Twitch. The momentum was lifting and those rainforest dips were well and
truly starting to dissipate.
The lads then progressed to their strategic Lower Hunter dry woodland site – an
area they thought they had sewn up to themselves…only to encounter a Ford
Falcon virtually bottoming out on the rutted-out gravel track – it could only
be the Dodgy Drongo’s, the other team who were starting their run on the
Liverpool Plains and who were now on their Hunter turf. This called for the
now-infamous “Brewer’s Flash”, as the NSW bird list (awash with blue
highlighter) was thrust out the window at the unsuspecting Drongo’s. They
simply shook their heads. This was a particularly important stop for the
Brewers as they picked up a crucial 6 species, including Yellow-tufted,
Brown-headed and Black-chinned Honeyeaters, the White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike and
Crested Shrike-tit missed from Saturday and the only Koel heard for the 24hrs.
All were agreed that it was ‘good brewing’ and they moved on.
Steve had made an earlier call that to win the thing, they had to be on 200
species before hitting the Hunter Estuary. This was a good call and Latham’s
Snipe was bird number 197 from the Hexham Swamp area where they crossed paths
with a very relaxed Alan Morris and his CCC’s, who were promptly treated to am
affable, yet deliberate, Brewer’s Flash – they shook their heads. They then
trundled onto the place that could ‘produce anything’ – Ash Island. The
obligatory White-fronted Chat and Red-capped Plover fell quickly and soon the
Dodgy Drongo’s were spied again, locked onto a small flock of Marsh Sandpipers.
However, about 150m away on the other side of the road a small group of
Sharp-tailed and Curlew Sandpipers were well-hidden, their presence betrayed
only by a Swamp Harrier who briefly flushed them. A Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo
was also heard near here before they set off towards Tourle Street Bridge,
having made prior arrangements to get through the
locked gate as a crucial time-saver. The move paid off wonderfully as another
maiden bird was seen on the track out in the form of Chestnut-breasted
Mannikins. The decision to try for a Skylark on Kooragang Island was also
fruitful as a displaying bird was seen hovering about over their heads – their
7th maiden bird. Much to their dismay, no Brown Quails could be heard or
flushed in this otherwise reliable site. (end 2)
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