168

Please excuse the repetitious, geeky nature of these new bird updates. I'll mix up the nature of the WB posts a lot more very soon. Anyway, a weird call close to home at 5pm got me rushing outside to investigate. What was it? A Little Friarbird, possibly lost, as it's a western NSW bird really. Happy days. Bird 168. Little Friarbirds are rarely seen in the Greater Sydney area. I guess they're rare in the Illawarra/Southern Highlands too. LJ, April 10 2014.

OUTING

I'll be leading a bird outing in Morton National Park next Monday morning from 8am. Meet at Gambells Rest at the end of Church St, Bundanoon. Bring binoculars, patience and a sense of humour. We'll be targeting the harder to see species - Chestnut-rumped Heathwren, Rockwarbler, Brown Gerygone, Beatiful Firetail etc. All welcome. If it is pissing down, it will be off. Email me at lorne.johnson@dow.catholic.edu.au if you have any queries. LJ, April 10 2014.

167

2 Red-rumped Parrots were flying over the Flame Robin paddocks down Shangri la Rd mid-afternoon Sunday. Bird 167. I've been waiting for RRPs to show up. Not sure how numerous they are in the Southern Highlands - I've had them on the outskirts of Moss Vale. Other species of note down Shangri la were: 8 Buff-rumped Thornbills, Scarlet Robin (male), Rose Robin (male; returned), Black-fronted Dotterel, Little Black Cormorant, Yellow-faced Honeyeater (2 feeding on ground with party of Yellow-rumped Thornbills) and a White-throated Treecreeper foraging on a wall for two minutes (never seen this before). LJ, 7 April 2014.

TODAY, THE DAY OF BRIGADOON, OUR SCOTTISH FESTIVAL, I FINALLY SAW A GREY CURRAWONG IN BUNDANOON

Though I've heard Grey Currawongs calling three or four times before in Bundanoon, I've never laid eyes on one. They're scarce buggers, more easily seen south of Bundanoon in Penrose and Tallong, where the habitat is drier. I was blessed to get my nocs onto one down Old Argyle Road mid-afternoon - the bird's sharp, parrot-like chiming alerted me to its presence. Unfortunately, I only had a four second view of it, as the bird was dashing through the canopy. Grey Currawongs are such striking birds, even with their sooty plumage. They're often solitary, or in pairs or trios. They're a bird I'd love to know more about. LJ, April 5 2014.