226) Escape to Sundown

Grey-crowned Babbler

The world has been presenting itself in a stressful manner so we decided to head to one of our favorite hideouts - Sundown National Park. The park itself is not spectacular, the woods are mostly regrowth, the river is not running now and it's damn hot (but blissfully empty of people and noise). So why go? One word-- Babblers! 

These social birds (Grey-crowned and White- browed seen on this trip) demand a smile as they gleefully fling leaves, bark and detritus all around in the search for bugs. There is always a scout out ahead as they traverse the forest, and an 'over-watch' up in a tree watching over the foragers. This trip we were treated to numerous instances of group grooming behavior and what I can only describe as a 'dog-pile' of babblers all companionably sitting on top of each other! Their constant babbling and 'yahoo' duetting  are simply a joy. Over two days we ran across multiple groups and even sat with one flock while we all ate lunch!

We also found another marvelous social bird - the Apostle Bird who merrily (and nosily!) rummage in the litter. No skulking about for these guys!

I was very pleased to get a good look and a photo of a Striped Honeyeater. We see them rarely and usually quite high up in the canopy. After making us wait patiently while standing in the sun for way too long, this fellow finally came out of the leaves and showed us his dramatically stripey head.

A Jacky winter perching on the fence line at the end of a fine day of birding.

Another great surprise were little bunches of Speckled Warblers. We have seen them only rarely--out in the Stanthorpe area on bird surveys, and once in a Brisbane bushland. Nancy was a great spotter as I tried to get close enough for a good photo - if one bird was uncooperative, she could quickly locate another, as they travelled about in flocks of two or three.
















Another nice sighting for us is the Crested Shrike-tit. This fellow was searching the bark for bugs so he provided good poses.  We heard him noisily rummaging about in the bark on the branches above us before we spotted him.
















..a little difficulty getting a very large bug down!















Another highlight was a flock of 12 Diamond Firetails - simply amazing in the sunlight. There was a small water source and the birds moved from feeding to high branches to water - repeat!  We can't get over how beautiful these little finches are.

Not to be outdone, two Double-Barred finches came over to see what the ruckus was about.



















All in all a fantastic getaway to all things birdy.  Eighty-two different species of birds-- many of our favorite birds with great personalities, plus dozens of kangaroos lazily lounging about in the peace and quiet, lace monitors patrolling the remnant waterhole--what a wonderful place!