Exploring Australia by 4x4 June-December 2011 (1 Viewer)

[Joshua-B]

haha - I'm aware of that Mike, I've tried to do it before

OK, so you're saying a less bulky Satin-bowerbird-type-bird? Can you give me a bird that has a similar flight/behaviour to the one you saw?

 

[MJB]

haha - I'm aware of that Mike, I've tried to do it before

OK, so you're saying a less bulky Satin-bowerbird-type-bird? Can you give me a bird that has a similar flight/behaviour to the one you saw?

Just the Common Myna...

We've been round the Griffith Trail today (3 Dec). Although it was sunny, the wind was consistently quite strong, and the temperature out of the sun was only 16 C! Again, fairly few birds; most of those calling or singing were about 4-5 metres off the track in vegetation taller than us! The waterlogging is not so bad, but quite a bit of track has been eroded recently.
MJB

 

[MJB]

We'd intended to try an early-morning dash to Barren Grounds before leaving for the Sydney area, but torrential rain put an end to that idea. On the way to Sydney, we then ran into thick mist (low cloud really) on the freeway, so we got off on to ordinary roads where a low safe speed of 60km/h didn't run so much of a risk of being rear-ended! So, if we had stopped to bird, we couldn't have seen any! No sooner were we out of the mist, than we ran into very gusty wind, with bits of eucalyptus performing interesting aerial manoeuvres. On to Sydney (Wolli Creek, really) where the rain returned, with a bit of thunder.

Still, we had enjoyed Barren Grounds for an unexpected reason - the appearance of a host of butterflies and more than a few attractive plants, so here goes!
MJB

 

[MJB]

Just a couple more pics from Barren Grounds and two from Minamurra the day before. The cuckoo was calling non-stop, because there was another male within 10 metres, but hidden from our sight.
MJB

 

[Allen S. Moore]

The photos show butterflies that I have never seen. However, looking in Michael F. Braby's The Complete Field Guide to Butterflies of Australia the first photo looks a lot like the illustration of a female wonder brown. The two differences with the illustration is that it shows a dark brown colour, not black, and the band on the forewing is white, not that striking yellow colour. Maybe you should put your butterfly queries in the butterfly etc forum (if you haven't already)? Good luck for a reply!

Allen

 

[MJB]

The photos show butterflies that I have never seen. However, looking in Michael F. Braby's The Complete Field Guide to Butterflies of Australia the first photo looks a lot like the illustration of a female wonder brown. The two differences with the illustration is that it shows a dark brown colour, not black, and the band on the forewing is white, not that striking yellow colour. Maybe you should put your butterfly queries in the butterfly etc forum (if you haven't already)? Good luck for a reply! Allen

Thanks, Allen! We can confirm that the ground colour was black/near black and the forewing colour (on this individual) was indeed yellow. Most of the similar butterflies seen (that kept moving) appeared to have orange forewing colour; males? We also saw several other butterfly species in much smaller numbers, but none hung around for their portraits. A good few beetle/bug species were also lumbering about, but apart from Grey (and one Rufous) Fantails, there was no flycatching going on (no Willie Wagtails!).
MJB

 

[MJB]

Today in Sydney, the weather was foul, heavy rain showers and gusty winds making it feel much colder than when I was here six months ago. I've begun checking through our early pics in some detail. Here are some from June, including a parrot whose ID we can't confirm from the field guides - none show a black line ahead of the wingfold! I'll be putting a few more on later.
MJB

 

[MJB]

I've got time for the next five pics.
MJB

 

[Andy Benson]

Guys, are you saying that Barren Grounds are not do-able at dusk because of access, or is it a case of last one out shuts the gate? I was thinking of doing a dusk visit torwards end of next week.

 

[John_WA]

Mystery parrot looks like a female Australian King Parrot?

 

[Azzy]

I agree with female King Parrot, although that black line is a little odd.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Guys, are you saying that Barren Grounds are not do-able at dusk because of access, or is it a case of last one out shuts the gate? I was thinking of doing a dusk visit torwards end of next week.

Also wondering about this. Is this a new thing? When we went a couple of years ago we had no trouble sleeping over in our van in the car park.

 

[StuartReeves]

I'm far from expert, but there must be a pretty good chance that your snake is a Red-bellied Black.

 

[MJB]

Also wondering about this. Is this a new thing? When we went a couple of years ago we had no trouble sleeping over in our van in the car park.

Larry,
All I'm saying is that there was a sign there that said the barrier was closed at dusk. I've no way of knowing whether this applies/no longer applies. Anyone wanting to go there should check with whoever runs the reserve... There are also a couple of newish and rather emphatic signs by the privately-owned houses just before the barrier, indicating PRIVATE PROPERTY NO ENTRY, or something of that ilk - they must be fed up of people parking in or wandering through their gardens.
MJB

 

[MJB]

I agree with female King Parrot, although that black line is a little odd.

Thanks for the responses, John of WA and Azzy. That was our thought, but the odd black line made us wonder. An errant immature Superb Parrot did cross our minds as a possibility...

Anyway, a few more July birds. Note our nickname for the Crested Pigeon - 'Pichlhaubetaube' - it's based loosely on the name for the German spiked helmet in WW1 - Pichlhaube - and the German for dove, Taube; it's pronounced Peechl (ch as in 'loch') how-bih tow (rhyming with 'now') bih.
MJB

 

[MJB]

I'm far from expert, but there must be a pretty good chance that your snake is a Red-bellied Black.

Thanks, Stuart - we're also aware from several sources, that more than a few snake species vary a lot in appearance over their geographical distribution, so our snake policy is: See it, stop, slowly edge away if it shows any sign of agitation, otherwise take a quick picture, then slowly edge away! Thank goodness for zoom lenses on digital cameras!

Incidentally, I'd appreciate comment on the blurred bird (taken in poor light)pic that accompanied the snake & butterfly pics.

Some more bird pictures.
MJB

 

[birdboybowley]

Surely the 'black line' on the parrot is just the breast feathers being displaced by the closed wing? Nice Beach Stonies - great birds!!

 

[birdboybowley]

...Incidentally, I'd appreciate comment on the blurred bird (taken in poor light)pic that accompanied the snake & butterfly pics.

White-browed Scrubwren (ssp frontalis?) for me

 

[MJB]

White-browed Scrubwren (ssp frontalis?) for me

There certainly were some of these nearby, so that's the favourite, but it did look rather different to the many dozens we've encountered (of various sspp) and kept to the upper parts of the background bushes when it quickly fled from the viewfinder.
MJB
PS More pics

 

[Joshua-B]

Yeah, it's a White-browed Scrubbie

In regards to Barren Grounds, Birds Australia handed it over to National Parks a few years back, and they shut the gates every night. You can walk in at night (about 1km to the heath), just not drive in.