Borah Reserve

This morning Isaiah and I took off for the hour long drive to Borah Traveling Stock Reserve near Manilla. It is one of the favorite birding places in NSW for a number of birders.

Typical bushland at Borah Traveling Stock Reserve.

We arrived around 0940 and were welcomed by Dusky Woodswallows and Jacky Winters. A little further were a pair of beautiful White-browed Woodswallows too!

A Dusky Woodswallow checking us out from the safety of his vantage point.

I was just chilling with Isaiah when a larger bird flew into view and landed within my newfound digiscoping range. It was an immature Pallid Cuckoo. Later on a pair squabbled while we had lunch.

immature Pallid Cuckoo

We checked out a few other areas here and perhaps the most intriguing find was the following creature:

Yes, I found another tick! Well actually Isaiah found it. When he seen it crawling on our blanket I had laid on the ground he called out, "Daddy, spider!" I am still waiting to confirm its identity.

I was unable to add anymore to my TRC year tally, but overnight news may yet add some. Walcha Shire Council to my east has been forceably amalgamated with Tamworth Regional Council. Thus my survey area has broadened. I will check out if I have any extra records from up there this year that I can now slip in.....

Here is the link to today's birds:

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26370169

Locks Lane

After a crazy day again at work I decided to take the long way home. Locks Lane is a dirt lane that is nearly in the middle of Tamworth and follows the river for a kilometre or so. In summer the long grasses along its verge make ideal habitat for finches, and they can easily be found then. Today I pulled over near the creek crossing as I had spotted some Chestnut-breasted Mannikins. I tried digiscoping through my Zeiss binoculars with my Samsung phone and the results are below. Mind you, it would have been much better if I was fast enough to take the photo when the Mannikins were only 2 metres away, but alas a car whizzed by flushing them to 30 metres away. There were a couple of Plum-headed and Double-barred Finches about too, but they didn't pose for me.

Chestnut-breasted Mannikins at Locks Lane, Tamworth

Further up the road I came across a gathering of Australian Reed Warblers and a Golden-headed Cisticola. I drew upon my time in Karumba with the Ferryman to pish up all the Cisticolas. Then they popped up everywhere, including right in front of me. So I digiscoped it too! It is a bit over-exposed but I am still learning!

Golden-headed Cistiola that responded to me pishing

Here is the link to the complete list I found in my quick drive through:

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26280629

MORNING AT CHAFFEY DAM

This morning I decided to leave the challenges of life and head to Chaffey Dam again. I thought I may be able to add to my TRC Big Year total of 215 for 2015. Once again I dragged my son along. He is used to the setup, and either has a go at spotting the birds, or plays with his cars, or today, play with my car!!! 

I arrived at the western side first. There were many boats zooming around so the birds were hugging the banks. Initially there was not much to note, but upon my third stop along that side I found what looked like good wader habitat: muddy edge, some green weedy cover and a good number of birds already present. I did find 5 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, but no other migratory waders were present. There was also a lone Red-kneed Dotterel among the Black-winged Stilts.

So off to the eastern side. This side is the main entrance to Chaffey, and the best birding is up around the entrance to the dam. So we headed up there. Swans, Pelicans, Cormorants, Ducks, and a good number of Great Crested Grebes greeted us (see picture below). They were using an old road which is mostly underwater to roost along. While I was out checking the edges unsuccessfully for more migrants my son remained at loose in the car. He pulled out his favourite CD from the CD player; now it doesn't work. He had fun pretending to drive, and then tooted the horn. Well, at least that flushed a few birds nearby lol. He had alot of fun!

Array of species together: Pelican, Little Black and Great Cormorants,
Great Creted Grebes in water behind. Black Swans were just out of shot to the right.

On the way out a Australian Pipit posed for his photo too. I obliged from the car.

Australian Pipit posing.

I totaled 55 species in just over an hour, but did not manage to add to my year tally. My complete listing for today is on eBird here:

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26260198

Twitchathon early moves

Here is how we spent the first few minutes of twitchathon 2015! We had to walk / wade through waist high water to get out to Pelican Island. Some of the birds we saw there are nowhere else within 30kms from here. The main ones we scored here were Mangrove Gerygone, Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwit, Eastern Curlew, Pied Oystecatcher, Osprey, Gull-billed and Common Terns. The Mangrove Gerygone came up close to us after a whistle just prior to kick-off at 4pm!

After we waddled back to the carpark dripping wet we shot off to our next site where I located a sole female Southern Emu-wren lurking in the undergrowth. A minute later we were all also onto a stunning male Red-backed Fairy-wren which was a surprise as I thought we would miss it on this twitch! Happy days as our score began to climb ......

Raven On Twitch 2015

This year's NSW / ACT Twitchathon is over. Raven On competed in the champagne race, and we won it comfortably! We totaled 195 species in 24 hours, and the next best was 155. Yet I could write a story about all the species we missed. But who wants to hear that! Here is a list of our best species:
- Osprey
- Mangrove Gerygone
- Pied Oystercatcher
- Whimbrel
- Eastern Curlew
- Bar-tailed Godwit
- Brahminy Kite
- Southern Emu-wren
- Red-backed Fairy-wren
- Latham's Snipe
- Comb-crested Jacana
- Emerald Dove
- Red-browed Treecreeper
- Rufous Scrubbird
- Bassian Thrush
- Paradise Riflebird
- Turquoise Parrot
- Black-chinned Honeyeater
- Brown Treecreeper
- Yellow-tufted Honeyeater
- Black-eared Cuckoo
- Blue-billed Duck
- Musk Duck
- Australasian Shoveler
- Marsh Sandpiper
- Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
- Western Gerygone
- Grey-crowned Babbler
- Speckled Warbler
- Painted Honeyeater

Twitchathon

Tomorrow is an exciting day for me: the annual Twitchathon begins! "Raven On" will be competing, and I think we are a good chance at claiming the second division title: the Champagne Race.

We are starting at Port Macquarie and working our way westward, finishing around Lake Keepit on Sunday afternoon. You can follow our progress on eBird NSW, although I will only submit lists when we have free time in mobile reception areas. News of our successes or otherwise will be here soon after hopefully!!!

Quipolly Dams

I called in to Quipolly Dams on my return from preaching at Quirindi SDA church today. Once again my young son Isaiah was with me to add to tbe ambience of each dam. It had been nearly 15 years since my only other visit.

I was greeted by two dogs near the birdhide. Not sure if they were locals or wild as they quickly dashed into the forest, suggesting the latter. The old dam is full of water, Hardheads and Coots. After a thorough scan I came across the bright blue bill of the so-named duck. It is a year bird, but not for my TRC challenge as this site is about 30 kms out of the region.  Another interesting observation were the pair of Australian Hobby's which bothered the wildlife frequently. They can be seen in this phone picture resting in a gum that overlooks the dam.

We then headed to the main dam. There are plenty of birds there currently, but not too many species. Great Crested Grebes, Black Swans and Pelicans are about 90% of the wildlife. There are only a few, including Musk Ducks. Throw in a Stilt or two, two Sea Eagles, Cormorants and an Echinda and that about covers it! Oh, and there was the familiar sound of Little Grassbirds too, pushing my year tally to 233.

Australian Hobbies

Main Quipolly Dam

2015 NSW Twitchathon

The 2015 Twitchathon is happening on the last weekend next month and my news is our old team "Raven On" is back after an absence of 4 years! We are: Henry , Ethan and yours truly.

We will be competing in the champagne race this year in order to challenge my good mate Clive Meadow's and his team who have won that division the past two years. He will be around the Hastings valley, but I think we can challenge him from inland. We will stick near Tamworth and see how we go. I am hoping for 150+ species in 24 hours. Clive has won previously with around 160 so its a good challenge for us!

The event is a fundraiser for a Powerful Owl recovery program. If you want to sponsor Raven On send me a message.

Cheers

Matt

My webpage

I've been slowly adding some ideas onto a webpage. As you can tell my knowledge herein equals my skills -- nil. Any tips and feedback is accepted!

www.climacteris.wix.com/redrobinbirding

Cheers
Matt

Hello and welcome to my blog!

Its nearly eight months into my Tamworth Regional Council Big Year and my tally stands at a mammoth 207 species. Since this is my first blog I will not go into any details yet. I am hoing for maybe another 10 species for this list. And just as exciting, I hope to get a twitchathon team together out here and give it a real crack! As of yet I have not heard from my past teammates, so I guess they are not interested. I am also trying to think of ways I can earn my living from birding... yet to find one but all ideas are appreicated!

Til next time!

Matt