FABULOUS FAIRY-WRENS

Having been travelling again since leaving the Sunshine Coast, Queensland in early May, we have seen some wonderful sights and fantastic birds.

Previously I have been trying to keep a chronological record when posting, but with lack of time and internet coverage, I will publish random highlights of our ongoing journey, at least until we settle somewhere for a while.

Meanwhile, here are some images of four of the six fairy-wren species found in Western Australia. Currently in Geraldton, we are are too far north for the Red-winged Fairy-wren, a WA endemic, and the Blue-breasted we have still to find.

This male Variegated was busy advertising his territory to all and sundry in Mirama National Park at Kununurra. 

Variegated Fairy-wren (race rogersi - Lavender-flanked form) 

The two birds below weren't anywhere near as co-operative, especially the male who was in full breeding plumage, quite vocal and loud for a fairy-wren. These shots were taken at Victoria River in the Northern Territory, although this species is also found in the Kimberley just over the border in WA.

Purple-crowned Fairy-wren - female 

Purple-crowned Fairy-wren - male

 I've included a much better image of this exquisite member of the Malurus family, courtesy of Ian Mongomery's fantastic website: http://birdway.com.au/index.htm

At Cape Range National Park we came across another form of the Variegated, one of four races across Australia.

Variegated Fairy-wren (Purple-backed form - race assimilis) 

Also at Cape Range, the White-winged were showing well, with the male not far off being fully coloured up. 

White-winged Fairy-wren - male 

White-winged Fairy-wren - female

At Nerren Nerren rest area, along the North West Coastal Highway, we observed a small group of Splendids going about their daily activities right near our campsite. One male was very inquisitive and came in very close when responding to my squeaking. I only had a few seconds to capture this stunning little fella while he hopped out into the open, and I was stoked with the results.

Splendid Fairy-wren

In Kalbarri National Park, a family group of what I thought were Blue-breasted were frustratingly staying out of range in the thick scrub, until some squeaking brought a male out for a quick ID shot. It was a Variegated, this species being very similar to the former, their ranges overlapping in this limited area of WA.      

Variegated Fairy-wren 

Cheers and Happy Birding

CAPERTEE REDUX

The last time I published a post about the Capertee Valley, I concentrated on our sighting of the critically endangered Regent Honeyeater:  http://qldbirder.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/capertee-revisited.html
This time I've included a varied selection of other images from our visit.

The cliffs of Wollemi National Park

Being Spring there was a fair bit of activity around the place, which made for some nice birding and great photo opportunities. The Bellbirds were in full "tinking" mode, and though usually fairly high up in the gums this one came down for a better look at the intruder.

Bell Miner

This male fairy-wren was in fully breeding regalia, and although the photo doesn't do it justice, the bright blue head shone out like a flourescent beacon in the dull evening light.

Variegated Fairy-wren

Beside the Capertee River, in Wollemi National Park, from the concealment of my car I was able to film a Superb Lyrebird foraging along the bank, casual as you please. Later he took some time out to do a spot of bathing, and I felt privileged to get a glimpse into his daily routine. 

Superb Lyre-bird - male 

This raptor was eyeing off  potential prey from a convenient fence post beside the road.

Brown Falcon

A couple of masurpials were out and about too.

Swamp Wallaby or Stinker

Eastern Grey Kangaroo - male

And a monotreme that became camera shy. It's very difficult to sneak up on these unique little creatures. 

Echidna

While exploring the rocky escarpment behind the camping area at Glen Davis I was able to observe a pair of Rock Warblers going about their daily routine. 

Rock Warbler

The ubiquitous Eastern Yellow Robins were as usual photogenic. One of my favourite bush birds.

Eastern Yellow Robin

I couldn't quite capture the rufous coloured rump on the Songlark.

Rufous Songlark

The Babblers were active at their communal nest near our campsite, just on dusk. 

White-browed Babbler

Capertee River

Cheers & Happy Birding

DOWN ON THE FARM

After our stint on the coast it was back inland, with the opportunity of working on a corn growing irrigation farm west of Gunnedah, near Mullaley in north-eastern NSW. Having my camera handy in the farm ute gave me the opportunity of snapping a few shots while on various assignments around the 1000 acre property, named Tahlee. 

Eastern Rosella

Musk Lorikeets

Variegated Fairy-wren - male, eclipse plumage 

Although there weren't a lot of trees around, with most concentrated along the creek lines, there were enough there to sustain at least one Koala, the only one I noticed, but known to frequent the farm in greater numbers.      

Koala - probable male

I kept a list of the birds seen on the property over our five week period there, that included nine kinds of parrots in the fifty-six species recorded. The most common of the four types of raptors were the kestrels, with a couple of pairs present.

Nankeen Kestrel

Sunset at Mullaley

I couldn't resist posting a few pictures of our time at Tahlee. I got to drive this big boy around for a day, dragging a large steel bar to break up the clods of earth prior to furrrowing.

Irrigation canal with the ditches being filled to soak the raised beds before planting the corn seeds, using siphons to transfer the water.

The farm is a family run business and they welcomed us warmly into their lives in the short time we were there. They left a big impression on us with their positiveness, patience and work ethic and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Cheers & Happy Birding

SUNSHINE COAST RAMBLES

The break in our travels during mid year found us back on the Sunshine Coast for a while, where I visited a few of my local haunts. There were some big seas and on shore winds prevailing, so I headed up the coast to try a spot of sea-bird watching. Apart from a few Australasian Gannets and a tern or two  there wasn't much about. 

Point Arkwright

Point Perry rockscape

The sewage treatment plant at Maroochydore had a few waterbirds present, some loafing on the grass banks and others busy feeding in the nutrient rich waters.   

Chestnut Teal & Pacific Black Ducks

Black-winged Stilt

Out at the Maroochy Wetlands Sanctuary some of the local passerines were making the most of the winter sun.

Maroochy River & Mt.Coolum

Welcome Swallow

Willie Wagtail

Scarlet Honeyeaters

A visit to Parklands Forest Reserve yielded some close up views of some inquisitive members of the Malurus family and a shrike-thrush posing as a treecreeper.

Variegated Fairy-wren - male

Variegated Fairy-wren - female 

Little Shrike-Thrush

Along the north shore of the Maroochy River at Mudjimba, a far off shape on the sand banks turned into a Beach Stone-Curlew through the field scope. I had read a report of a sighting by Greg Roberts in a post he published on his excellent blogsite http://sunshinecoastbirds.blogspot.com.au/, which gave me the incentive to look for this enigmatic wader.

Maroochy River - north shore

Beach Stone-Curlew

A much better image below by Ian Montgomery at: http://www.birdway.com.au/

Cheers and Happy Birding