246) Further New Birds

Beautiful Firetail

I headed south of Wollongong to a campground near the famed Mystics surf area. Cold and blustery weather in the morning as I drove up to Barren Grounds - a complete misnomer for a remnant patch of heathland. Barren it is not. I was thrilled to find a pair of firetails chowing down in some casarina trees - they are indeed Beautiful Firetails!

A small patch of rainforest creeps up the hill into the reserve. Among the standard birds I got a great look at two Red-browed Treecreepers. We have seen them - rarely- before so it was great to have them hang out for a while.

















Another of the iconic species of this remnant patch is the Eastern Bristlebird. We have seen 2 birds of the northern range and here I saw three in a few hours. They would blithely pop out of the grass and stroll down the track. This is rather an amazing sight given their critically endangered status - an estimated < 2000 left in the world. A look at the heathland they inhabit and I realized their tenuous existence. One bad fire here and a large part of the population is gone.

 I headed back up to the Irrawong Reserve to see if I could show Nancy the Powerful Owl.. Others have found him with a recent possum lunch - I was pleased to get him facing the camera. I took a few pics and let him get back to sleep - he must get tired of the parade of visitors to his roost.

 We made a foray out to Mulgoa Preserve out west of Sydney. One highlight was a good capture of a Weebill - another of the tiny fast birds.

A profusion of blooming banksias meant for many Eastern Spinebills. Also numerous honeyeaters - Fuscous, New Holland, White-eared, Yellow-tufted and White -naped. A good show.