Birders,
Spent some time yesterday poking around the cliffs under Mt Portal in
the Glenbrook section of Blue Mountains NP. I was there with a
climbing mate who's on the cusp of becoming a fully fledged birder,
after joining us for the monthly failed Sooty Owl attempt on the
weekend, and getting right into the action.
We were ostensibly looking for something dangerous to come back and
climb later, so not really full time birding. It wasn't until we were
quite committed that we realised we'd spooked a very young Boobook out
of it's hide, which was now sitting on a branch blinking furiously and
staring at us with rage. I could see how flighty it was feeling,
stretching and looking around constantly, but there was nothing we
could do to avoid it, hemmed in as we were between an up cliff and a
down cliff. Good opportunity to have a good look at him (her? I've got
no idea) though. Pretty little things, enormous feet for a bird their
size too.
Chuffed with this little encounter, and having found some fine rock
for later adventures we repaired to the car, only to flush something
interesting on the return track. Steve gave a light hearted 'what was
that', and then realised I was getting serious. Birds that flush in
the Blueys are rare and almost always interesting. Some serious
stalking, whispering and hand gestures got Steve great views of his
first ever Spotted Quail-Thrush, and only the third I've seen in the
Blueys. I think it was female (being somewhat duller than I am used
to) and seemed to be calling to chicks nearby, but we didn't see them.
A cracking bird, and one that I'm often asked about in the Mountains.
A note on their habitat. Each time I've seen them it has been
disturbed, VERY dry schlerophyl, with patches of bare ground, and lots
of twigs/dry leaves on the ground. I've never had a reliable site for
them, so I'm going to check this out a few more times in the coming
weeks to determine if it's an abberation or not.
Then, somewhat sadly, the spell of the "extremely elusive bird we've
just seen", was broken, as another tried to kill itself in front of
his Subaru on the way out. With some luck he's at home writing out a
list today...
EB
--
Evan Beaver
Lapstone, Blue Mountains, NSW
lat=-33.77, lon=150.64
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