G'day all
I have had the pleasure of spending this past weekend at Bladensburg National
Park, just south of Winton. With the continued wet weather in Cairns setting in
even more last week, I took the opportunity to drive 10 hours SW to this
fabulous area which I hadn't visited for almost 10 years. The park is teeming
with birds at the moment after much rain & to my surprise, I was the only
visitor in the whole park from 2:30pm Friday 'til departing at 11am on Sunday.
There were many highlights, but the most exciting find was at least 40-odd
Pictorella Mannikins with many juvenile birds amongst them. I saw this species
at 4 locations in the park, so I am very sure that there were many more spread
about in other parts of the immediate area. Anyone visiting western Qld south
of where they normally are recorded (ie anywhere south of Georgetown, Richmond
or Mt Isa) should keep their eyes & ears open - they seem to be far more
nomadic than we previously thought & surely do visit areas well to the south of
where we expect to see them. Last year some were recorded near Bladensburg by
other observers at the Lark Quarry site approx 60km to the SW of Bladensburg. I
know that Andrew Ley has had some quite a few years back at Diamantina NP
further again to the SW. I was lucky enough to have 50-60 birds at Cuttaburra
Crossing of Eyre Ck (midway between Bedourie & Birdsville in the very far SW of
Qld) in June 2007. So it is pretty obvious that this spec
ies ranges far & wide, quite possibly not just in very good seasons, as 2007
wasn't anything special climate-wise. This bird is quite obvious in flight with
it's unique 'pic-pic' calls & high direct (but undulating) flight pattern. This
call is very useful in the field when learnt as these birds don't sound like
anything else. Also, they are obviously bigger than the myriad Zebra Finches in
these semi-arid & arid parts, so can be picked up fairly easily by an alert
observer. Let's hope that more records turn up of this species of such subtle
beauty.
Other highlights at Bladensburg NP were Striated Grasswrens & Rufous-crowned
Emu-wrens, many Ground Cuckoo-shrikes, plenty of Spinifexbirds, & a slightly
lost Striped Honeyeater, not to mention the 1000's of Spinifex Pigeons abundant
in this gereat park. Plus so much more...
I have put a few sight records onto Eremaea's Birdline Australia with a few
further details. If anyone is interested in any further info or images from
this trip, please just give me an email or phone call.
Cheers
Martin Cachard
Cairns
0428 782 808
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