Friday, August 19, 2016

268) A few locals

Rock Warbler
 One of our favorite spots in The Royal overlooks the ocean and is inhabited by these great chirpy Rock Warblers (genus Origma) - not to to be confused with new world warblers. They are endemic to the Sydney area and scoot up and down the cliffs in search of bugs.

Rock Warbler


They were being positively inquisitive on this day likely because it was a Saturday and many folks picnics on the cliff edge overlooking the ocean


Speckled Warbler

















This Speckled Warbler (genus Pyrrholaemus) was quite to poser down in Mulligan's flat near Canberra. A pair was traveling with a mixed flock including robins, thornbills, firetails. The mixed flock phenomenon was something we observed a few times on the Canberra trip - so when you see (or hear) a thornbill - look hard for the other travelers!













Diamond Firetail
One of the birds I obsess about - the Diamond Firetail. He was part of the mixed flock mentioned above as the they traveled along the interface between the trees and the open fields at the edge of Mulligan's Flat. We were told they only recently returned to ML after not having been seen for a number of years! Yeah for predator proof fences!












Beautiful Firetail

Here is our local version - the Beautiful Firetail at Barren Ground. All the firetails have a lovely descending (and quite striking) whistle that is easy to recognise. This little ground was not making a peek - too busy chowing on the  grasses!





Gang gang Cockatoo













 Also at Barren Ground - a few pairs of Gang-gang Cockatoo. We usually find these guys by listening for their distinctive (and loud) feeding on these seed pods.
 Some of my department and SOs' hiking while Ramiro's visit to OZ. This is the most photogenic point on the National Pass trail above Wentworth Falls. Remarkable trail first built in 1912 - it traverses a bedding plane across the cliffs - lots of steps and waterfalls!