OUT IN THE OPEN

Late yesterday, 2 Bassian Thrushes were feeding out in the open by Coalmines Road, two hundred metres or so before you come to Santi Forest Monastery (I love that name). Bassian Thrushes are usually found in dense wet sclerophyll forest/rainforest where there's a lot of leaf litter and a distinct canopy, so seeing them between pines, on well-maintained grass, near a driveway and road, was somewhat surprising. It's always cool spying these cryptic, wary birds. Their feeding habits reminded me of a Blackbird's; they run like a quail-thrush, or a quail. LJ, July 14 2013.