Monday, January 23, 2012

SOME LOCALS AND A LIFER.



I got a decent shot of a Pale-headed Rosella recently feeding on some seeding grass across the road.
We have a small group in the neighbourhood that sometimes visit our feeder.

Pale-headed Rosella

Another local has been tending his mound down the bottom of our backyard.
It's a massive construction he's prepared for the female to lay her eggs and that he continuously maintains to keep the temperature at 35 degrees for successful incubation. Big job but with his massive feet he's up to the task.  
   
Brush Turkey

This immature Blue-faced Honeyeater came in to hunt for insects around the cocos palm.
It won't get the striking blue facial skin of the adult until about 16 months old.

Blue-faced Honeyeater

The next picture isn't great but it's a record shot of a Sooty Owl, my first sighting of this elusive species after a tip off from a friend (thanks Russ!) who had found the bird roosting in a piccabeen palm in a local rainforest reserve.The view through my binos was better than this shot suggests, although it was a neck breaker and about 20 metres straight up.  

Sooty Owl


Below is an illustration of what a Sooty Owl should look like, courtesy of John Gould.

                                               

5 comments:

  1. Nice ones John, and any shot of a Sooty is worthwhile. Well done for following up the tipoff. the pale headed is a lovely shot.

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  2. Thanks Richard. The Sooty was one of three species of night birds I had seen within the first week of January. The others were Eastern Grass Owl and Marbled Frogmouth.

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  3. good work with the sooty! Where are you guys now?

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  4. In our nations' capital (or just outside in Queanbeyan).
    Spent the evening looking for crakes at Jerrambomberra wetlands,no luck.
    Three new birds so far: Superb Lyre-bird,Rock Warbler,and Chestnut-rumped Heath-wren. Two heard but frustratingly not seen,Rufous Scrub-bird and Barking Owl.
    Will update blog soon.Cheers mate and love your blog!

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  5. Not many see Sooty's in the light of day! Well done!

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