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| Scarlet-chested Parrot |
We arrived at the correct trail parking lot near just before sunset. A birding group heading to their car confirmed the SCPs were there and provided directions and a cheery - "its only about 2 km - you have 15 minutes of light!" So we ran, as much as one can run with big cameras and tripods. Left, right, is this the right clearing? The sun is a centimeter from the horizon.... Wrong clearing.... so on we rush. A larger clearing, an isolated tree and a faint "eeep.., eeep... eeep". There in the fading light was a splendid example of the smallest and one of the most enigmatic parrots of Australia. An answering '...eeep' from another tree and he was off - a pair flew into the spreading dusk.
That was absolutely worth the drive......
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| Chestnut-backed Quail thrush (male) |
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| Chestnut-backed Quail thrush (male) |
When driving slowly with no other cars around we could spot birds (like this Quail-thrush) and leap out of the car to get a better look. This female and the male (above) we happy nosing about in the scrub near the road as long as there was a bush between them and us. After a brief period wandering in circles, I finally just sat down until they ventured out into the open. Although they are locally common and we have heard them call, this was a our first sighting - they are beautifully camouflaged!
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| Red-capped Robin |
The Red-caps are always a joy to find - they are alert and fast and yet their drops to the ground can be anticipated. Then its a matter of guessing which branch they will return to. This was a male hanging about in the area where the female and 2 young were feeding (previous post)
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| Superb Fairywren |
As Superb Fairy Wrens come out of eclipse they look a bit confused and bedraggled. But you do get a sense of how wonderful their eventual brilliant colors will be - one feather at a time.
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| Scarlet-chested Parrot |
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| Rufous Bristlebird |
I have a terrible time leaving places I like, not knowing I will ever be back. We knew this could well be our last chance to ever see the SCP - there are very few places they are seen and no place is predictable. So we waited until late afternoon and walked back into the clearing. We waited and waited. Finally Nancy spotted him through a dense section of Mallee. He eventually returned to the tree with hollows and we had the opportunity to just sit and watch as he called and wandered about the tree waiting for... someone. We did not want to leave for fear of scaring him off! He finally flew, again at dusk, to meet a barely glimpsed female and head somewhere for the night.
We left Gluepot in the face of impending rain - the Rangers said "leave now or plan to stay another 7-10 days! The roads will be impassable!". I decided the University would not accept 'stuck in the mud" as a reasonable excuse (there is no mobile reception anyway...). We dodged storms, stayed in hotels (serious rain) and headed to the Great Ocean Road.
There will be more in the next post but these Rufous Bristlebirds were special at Aireys inlet - we saw 12 of them at the lighthouse - they were having a good year!
