Sunny morning in Dowe National Park

After another cloudy, drizzly winter's week it was a pleasant surprise to see sunshine on Saturday afternoon. I took a gamble and guessed Sunday would follow suit. When I arose the sunrise was the best we had seen for probably a few weeks. Not a cloud anywhere! Hooray! So, after a quick breakfast I left the household sleeping and drove the 20 kms to Dowe National Park on the edge of Lake Keepit. The road and the trails were still boggy after the wet conditions, but the park had come alive! This had been our final site on our conquering 2015 Twitchathon, and since then I have familiarized myself with a few extra species therein.

At the carpark I located a gathering of about 8 Blue Bonnets. Sadly, they remained distant and as you can see the best image I got is not that stunning. But you can see the blue 'bonnet'. This site is a regular one for them, and as far as I know, at their eastern limits.

Blue Bonnet parrot.

The National Park is about a 500m walk from the 'carpark' along an easement. Greeting me at the entrance to the park were a pair of Jacky Winters, the plainest of the local Robin species, but they make up for it in charm, song and style. They were most interested in my presence!

Jacky Winter perched directly above me.

A pair of Jacky Winters: the front one checking me out, the rear one singing strongly!

Different spot on the fence, but still serenading me.

Being early in the morning kangaroo's were everywhere. This one posed for a moment before leaving the scene.

This kangaroo species is called Euro or Wallaroo (Macropus robustus)

There were large numbers of Little Lorikeets and Noisy Friarbirds, but they annoyed me due to their noise so I didn't stop and photograph them. I did, however, get a photo of Australia's smallest bird, the Weebill. At 8cm it is still much larger then the tiny Hummingbirds but it has the title as our smallest! Thus it is not always easy to see. Can you spot it in the photo below?

Weebill, Australia's smallest bird.

In the same area were a whole variety of smaller species, the ones I enjoy as they mingle together as a mixed flock. Below are just a couple of them: the Rufous Whistler who stopped to preen in the sunshine, and a Varied Sittella, which is like a treecreeper except it is smaller and doesn't just go up the tree. It can go down, upside etc as you can see in the photos!

Male Rufous Whistler

Rufous Whistler preening in the warm sunshine.

Varied Sittella, heading upside-down!

The final bird I photographed for the morning was the Southern Whiteface. He had a surprise for me. Perhaps it is because the days are lengthening again. Or maybe because it was the first sunny warm day for quite awhile. I cannot say, but a pair were both busily carrying feathers, small sticks, fluff and the like to their nest site in an Ironbark tree. My presence seemed to be bothering them, so I quickly took some photos and left them to their important business. Hopefully I can return in a month or so and see if they have successfully raised a small family!

Southern Whiteface carrying a piece of  dry grass.

Southern Whiteface further along the branch towards its nest site.

Carrying a mixture of goodies to line the new home!

Temagog Birds

Over the weekend I returned to one of my old stomping grounds where I have spent much time birding. Temagog is about 20 minutes west of Kempsey and is in a somewhat drier climate to much of coastal New South Wales. This has provided a mixture of species and habitats. I have recorded 171 species on and around my parents farm. This weekend was warm and sunny. The first species I was able to photograph was Scaly-breasted Lorikeets as they fed in some bushes in the yard. After we fed the goats, budgies and chooks we went and visited the neighbour who feeds the wild birds at 4pm everyday. My son enjoyed throwing the seeds out for them all, then in they came! There were Rainbow Lorikeets, Australian Wood Ducks, Peaceful Doves, White-headed Pigeons, Galahs and even Magpies!

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet

Male Wood Duck and Rainbow Lorikeets

Female Wood Duck and Galahs

White-headed Pigeons and Rianbow Lorikeets

Peaceful Doves

Noisy Miner

The following morning I set off wanting to photograph a Red-backed Fairy-wren. Over the course of the short walk I actually photographed all three species of Fairy-wrens that can be found along the coast in northern New South Wales, but sadly I only got one male in his breeding costume. That was the Variegated Fairy-wren. Upon my return to the house area a small bird flew in front of me to a nearby tree. I thought Mistletoebird as I saw red on it, but then it called.... Scarlet Robin male!!! I could scarcely believe it! As I mentioned in an earlier post about them, they often leave the mountains during winter. They had frequented Temagog farm every winter for about 4 seasons over ten years ago when I was living there, and here he was again. He looked brilliant!

Male Variegated Fairy-wren

Male non-breeding Superb Fairy-wren

Female Red-backed Fairy-wren

Female Red-backed Fairy-wren

Male Scarlet Robin

Back in the house yard I was on a high. Then I heard the contact squeak of the Rose Robin. I had a distant shot of it from the day before, but I thought I would try again. This time it came down for a look in the citrus tree and stayed nearby for enough time to get a few shots. It too descends from the high country forests to lower, warmer country in the winter. At one stage I had two males in the same bush! It was Red Robin Birding at its best!!

Male Rose Robin

More Robins and a Parrot

I am lucky to have seven species of Robins within a few hours of my place, and today I was lucky enough to find and photograph the most common sort; Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis. We pulled in for a picnic lunch at a roadside TSR (Travelling Stock Reserve) just north of Barraba and were greeted with a small number of these Robins and about six endangered Brown Treecreepers. As you can tell from the pcitures, the Robins like perching on any branch and are inquisitive. They dart onto the ground to catch their prey. They feed on insect, spiders and anthropods.

After we enjoyed a picnic lunch in the winter sun and out of the winter breeze we went for a walk up a nearby hill where this view welcomed us!

Panorama from the top of Lower Bottom Mountain TSR, Barraba

 After a short rest up top it was time to return to the car and continue on our journey. My wife headed off and arrived at our picnic spot first. I saw her motion for me and she had her "I've found a bird" look..... I was able to get one photo of the bird she found before my camera battery ran out of charge.

Male Turquoise Parrot

She had found a small group of Turquoise Parrots Neophema pulchella. They are endangered. In fact they were considered extinct in 1915 before returning gradually since then. They had been caught for averies and shot for pie-fillings! Their beauty is not really shown by that photo. 

Sadly, since my camera had ran out of batteries I couldn't get any more photos. Thus, the next bird landed in a low bush right next to me and it was a male Golden Whistler..... oh well let's hope I can get his picture next time!

Scarlet Robin's Braving the Cold Weather

I admit it I hate the cold! Let me also admit that I admire all creatures which call the cooler climates their home. Here in Tamworth our idea of cold is probably only mild to most people around the world but I'm a softie. One of our most colorful birds inhabits the cool mountain regions east of Tamworth. The Scarlet Robin is found in south-eastern and south-western Australia, as well as on Norfolk Island. In Australia, it is found south of latitude 25°S, from south-eastern Queensland along the coast of New South Wales (and inland to western slopes of Great Dividing Range) to Victoria and Tasmania, and west to Eyre Peninsula, South Australia. It can also found in south-west Western Australia. In these parts it is hard to find. In New South Wales it is listed as Vulnerable.

Scarlet Robin distribution map (source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarlet_robin)

So I went out in search for this species as it is one of my favorite being among Australia's petroica "red robins". In many places they move during winter to the lowlands but it seems these days around here they don't bother anymore. Maybe its global warming, who knows! I found them only a minute after arriving in the Watsons Creek area in the right habitat: tableland open forest / farmland that hasn't been over-farmed. Initially the birds were some distance away as can be seen in the first photo. They feed by sitting on a perch and flying down to catch prey. As they returned to a new perch, each perch was successively closer until I could nearly touch them! The vividly colored bird is the male, and the female is pastel but still very beautiful! I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Around Manilla

Yesterday was a restful day at our house after a crazy busy week. The weather added to our need to rest as it was miserable; cold, showery and windy. Some places higher in elevation received a dusting of snow. Eventually after lunch I lured the family out for a walk to the river. We have a very pleasant short walk to the river here. Today was no exception apart from the shower of rain on our way home and the coolish conditions. Within 5 minutes I came across an Australian Hobby frozen (??) on the powerlines. He allowed a close approach an thus some nice shots on my Panasonic 60x zoom camera (which I am compiling a review of for those contemplating getting a non-SLR birding camera).

Australian Hobby posing nicely for the camera!

We continued down to the river where the birdlife was like the weather, dull. We avoided the local footy game nearby which was obviously being won by Manilla, and came and instead flushed a pair of Eastern Rosellas from the roadside. Unfortunately they hid in a bush and the rear-angle picture of the female below was the best I could manage.

Female Eastern Rosella

Hopefully things at home will begin to settle down and there will be more time for serious birding. I'm still working on a website, putting up some pictures and imagining how I could guide and assist birders around this area or wherever they like in Australia. Check it out if you like at www.climacteris.wix.com/redrobinbirding. Anyway, this last picture summed up the outlook around Manilla yesterday.

Rain clouds, sunshine and a quiet paddock in Manilla.

Move to Manilla

This year has flown by like a flock of Swifts!!! I have moved my family to Manilla and been very busy cleaning and trying to adjust to the new schedule. My wife remains sick so birding has been limited. Here are a few photos from this year (there are many more on my Facebook page Red Robin Birding).

Male Red-rumped Parrot

Noisy Miner

Grey Butcherbird

Dark phase Brown Falcon. Notice the unfeathered legs and upright stance differentiating it from the Black Falcon.