2014 - Can I see 1000 species? (1 Viewer)

[MacNara]

Well, IOC gives only Todiramphus sanctus, occurring in both Oz and NZ.
And Avibase also gives this species for Fiji.

A Field Guide to the Birds of NZ gives Todiramphus sanctus vagans as 'New Zealand Kingfisher'.

Don't know if you get half a point for a sub-species?

 

[Jon Turner]

So, Dave at Werribee called it Red-capped Dotterel, and the good book calls it Red-capped Plover, so Plonker here put it down as two species.

However I have yet another joker up my sleeve with several:
467) GREY BUTCHERBIRD in the garden here

 

[njlarsen]

The NZ Kingfisher is Halcyon Sancta
The OZ Sacred Kingfisher is Todiramphus Sancta

I'm in the confused camp.... As usual!

Opus has it under Todiramphus sanctus while mentioning both of the others as alternative (older) versions. A little education: in scientific names, the second word is not capitalized.

Niels

 

[Jon Turner]

Opus has it under Todiramphus sanctus while mentioning both of the others as alternative (older) versions. A little education: in scientific names, the second word is not capitalized.

Niels

AH yes, I've been so used to writing the English names I had forgotten that Latin names were written as such. Will try to remember in future.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

466) Sacred Kingfisher - in Fiji, I saw a Kingfisher called Sacred, but think this is different, although it looks similar..
YELLOW-TAILED BLACK COCKATOO

the taxonomy of this group of kingfishers is a complex mess because there are a lot of subspecies, and it's not easy to work out which species they belong under.
If you go on IOC's current classification, the ones you'll have seen on Fiji are Collared Kingfisher, which is very local in Australia (eg mangroves around Cairns), but the ones in Aus look very different to the ones on Fiji. The ones you'll have seen in NZ are Sacred Kingfisher, which is also common in Aus. Hope that helps!

 

[Jon Turner]

I don't think I was really clear what or which I saw in Fiji. I seem to recall that Watling's book had both Collared and Sacred, and they were both VERY similar.
Finally got decent views including flight views showing the chestnut wing panel of another that was feeding in the garden here this morning:
470) LITTLE WATTLEBIRD
2 Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos also flew by, however, it's raining so I'll delay heading up the hill to see if it clears away.

 

[MacNara]

Avibase NZ: Todiramphus sanctus vagans

Avibase Australia: Todiramphus sanctus sanctus

Avibase Fiji: Todiramphus sanctus vitiensis

 

[Jon Turner]

Thanks Mac, I'll be more careful in future.
while I'm at it a beautiful pair of:
471) WHITE-NAPED HONEYEATER were enjoying the emerging sun, I need to go out and join them!

 

[davercox]

Avibase NZ: Todiramphus sanctus vagans

Avibase Australia: Todiramphus sanctus sanctus

Avibase Fiji: Todiramphus sanctus vitiensis

And IOC gives vitiensis as a ssp of T. chloris "Collared Kingfisher", as Larry said.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

yes, I was mostly pointing out that different taxonomists disagree at the moment as to what species these birds are.

 

[MacNara]

And IOC gives vitiensis as a ssp of T. chloris "Collared Kingfisher", as Larry said.

I wasn't arguing with anyone. I have no claim to authority whatsoever. I was simply providing information pointing out that some significant people think that 'Sacred Kingfisher' seen in NZ, Australia, and Fiji, which are the places Jon Turner saw it and wondered whether he had three ticks, is actually three sub-species of the 'same' bird. Or three subspecies of 'two' birds.

 

[MacNara]

And because I saw this/these bird(s) myself in NZ and Australia and wondered how to classify them - which I still haven't decided.

 

[davercox]

Agreed, the taxonomy is very unclear. Not sure, Jon, whether you've picked on an authority to follow for your 1000 or not.

 

[chris butterworth]

Apart from all being in Todirhamphus there is little consistency in which taxa are classed as species. Like those other debatable 'species groups', Island Thrush, Yellow Wagtail and White Wagtail, I tend to elevate those that look different and are geographically isolated, until such a time when better information / agreement is reached. Of course that means I've got 10 'species' in T. chloris s.l., but it's my list.

 

[Jon Turner]

Bored with Kingfisher taxonomy chaps.
For the purposes of this year, and this trip, I'll leave it at one species.
I was considering a drive to Lamington Park tomorrow, but the 4 hour round trip is too much of a drag, so I'll probably go back up to Mount Glorious and wander the trails up there again.
472) GREEN CATBIRD
Probable Wompoo Fruit Dove - viewing not helped by two wardens with a chainsaw clearing the paths.
Did see a little creature which we decided was probably a Brush-tailed Phascogale. I have pics which I will post when I'm back in the UK.

 

[Jon Turner]

Slack day today, but an earlyish walk to the beach caught me up with the glaring omisssion from yesterday when a pair of
462) RAINBOW BEE-EATER showed well by the road.
Driving out of Brisbane not long out of the airport, a fine
463) Brahminy Kite
And from our hosts garden later 2
464) KING PARROT
One or two others are under investigation, but hope for a few more here in the next few days.

SO if the above three are 462 - 464, why does the next but one post show other birds as these numbers too? I've done a recount and I think the next addition should be 476...

 

[Jon Turner]

I think it was a good decision NOT to spend the day in the car fighting my way south to Lamington. Instead, I went back up to Mount Glorious, and walked the trails all day. Short stop for coffee in the village, then in the car park/grassy area, a good-size flock of tiny birds, which were mostly Red-browed Firetails, but some Large-billed Scrubwrens, Silvereyes and Gerygones too. I'll deal with the goodies later, but as usual, rainforest birding is frustrating with long periods of nothing and occasional bursts of a few birds. Almost always more than one species at once. Eastern Yellow Robins were again confiding (and slightly annoying!) Lewin's Honeyeaters called almost all the time, but seldom seen. A couple of Green Catbirds were again easy to see. A few Grey and one very showy Rufous Fantail. Two or three Land Mullets came out to sun themselves by the paths. A pair of Sunbirds briefly showed as did a delightful Scarlet Honeyeater. I have finally had good views of an Eastern Whipbird. What I failed to mention is that almost the first birds I saw, before out of the car park were:
476) WHITE-HEADED PIGEON
477) RUSSET-TAILED THRUSH and
478) NOISY PITTA, which stunned me by walking onto the path about 20 metres ahead and staying for pics!
More anon, it's beer o'clock!

 

[chowchilla]

Cool. Makes me feel better about not finding you a Noisy up here!

 

[Jon Turner]

Cool. Makes me feel better about not finding you a Noisy up here!

NO worries Chow, I also had good, if distant views of a perched Topknot Pigeon.

 

[Jon Turner]

I walked all the way to Greene's Falls, which were dry, on the way, a large - ish dark bird was hiding in a tangle of vines and brush, which not only stayed for ID, but pics too:
479) PARADISE RIFLEBIRD - two oz birders I met were a bit miffed I saw this! However, one of them put me on to another species, which I eventually found:
480) SPOTTED QUAIL-THRUSH- really lovely
Back up the trails to near where they all meet, the trees were suddenly alive with birds. Several King Parrots, a good number of Satin Bowerbirds, including several males. Also a number of delightful:
481) WOMPOO FRUIT DOVES
After eating lunch back at the car park I did the rainforest trail anti-clockwise, and found Edward's bird:
482) LOGRUNNER
So overall, a good day, with Pitta and Paradise Riflebird right up there in the top ten seen so far!