SOARING KESTREL

Earlier in the week, a Nankeen Kestrel was soaring high over my house. I had to get my nocs on it so as to properly id. it. I don't think I've ever seen a NK soaring before. LJ, 22 November 2013.

BF@BV

The other day at Bonnie View, there was a Beautiful Firetail with nesting material in its mouth. It's been months since I last saw one in Bundy. The bird's red, so cutting/dazzling in its green-grey context, just brings the world back to life. LJ, November 22 2013.

THE DRAGON & THE TORTOISE

I didn't expect to see an Eastern Long-necked Tortoise and an Eastern Water Dragon sunbathing together on a slimy log jutting out of a creek not far from Shangri la Road today, when it was muggy, before rain decided to make a day of it. This is the same creek where I've spotted both Swamp Rat and Platypus. An Azure Kingfisher patrols the creek now and again. So, a healthy ecosystem. Today's Tortoise was munching on something unrecognisable, vaguely fishy. At my approach, both creatures plummeted to the water and vanished without a trace (the Dragon was particularly nervous, getting going before the Tortoise). That's the first time I've seen each creature in Bundanoon. If only I'd had my camera! LJ, November 16 2013.

EASTERN BROWN SNAKE SIGHTINGS

I've had two recent reports of Eastern Brown Snake sightings in town. One EBS was seen swimming across the pool at the bottom of Erith Coal Mine's falls (cool!), the other was seen on a property next to the railway lines, close to Penrose Rd. I've only seen two Eastern Brown Snakes in my life, one of which was dead, so I'd love to see another. A herpetologist was on ABC radio the other morning saying a woman recently died from an EBS bite. Apparently, she wasn't aware she'd been bitten by the thing and got medical attention too late. Poor woman. On another note, there was a dead, almost four-foot long, Red-bellied Black Snake by the side of Penrose Rd about two weeks ago. LJ, November 8 2013.

MAMMALS VARIOUS & SOME BOOBOOKS

A spontaneous drive out to Echo Point (Morton) last night, with my good mate Andre de Borde (curator, artist, owner of Gallery Ecosse and Bundy local), unearthed a range of mammals with the help of his 4WD's high beams: Red-necked Wallaby (terrific to find this species again; I saw one fleetingly back in 2009), Common Wombat, Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Common Brushtail Possum and Black (Swamp) Wallaby (there were four of these). Some sort of microbat was clicking in the gloom off Echo Point. Boobook Owls were very vocal at Echo Point and near Gambells Rest. LJ, October 22 2013.

158

A Little Grassbird, calling from the densely vegetated periphery of the large dam by Shangri La Road yesterday afternoon, now brings my ever-expanding Bundanoon bird list to 158. This secretive, drab-coloured bird makes a distinct, drawn out, three-note whistle, alerting the keen birder to its presence. A marshy area by a string of ponds in East Bowral is the only other place I've found this species in the Southern Highlands. So, the question remains - can I make it to 200 species? Absolutely. You bet. Of course. Here's a list of 40 birds that may well appear one day: Painted Snipe, Banded Lapwing, Red-kneed Dotterel, Australian Shelduck, Freckled Duck, Plumed Whistling-duck, Wandering Whistling-duck, Little Bittern, Brown Bittern, Black Bittern, Australian Pelican, Australian Spotted Crake, Baillon's Crake, Spotless Crake, Lewin's Rail, Brown Quail, Stubble Quail, King Quail, Red-chested Button-quail (apparently one was seen fleetingly in a garden on Church St several years ago), Pacific Baza, Swamp Harrier, Spotted Harrier, Black Falcon (my mate Marty thought he saw one a week back flying high over his place; we've both seen one recently at Moss Vale), Black Kite, Whistling Kite, Barking Owl, White-throated Nightjar, Emerald Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Common Bronzewing, Brush Bronzewing, Topknot Pigeon, Musk Lorikeet, Red-rumped Parrot, Pallid Cuckoo, Spotted Quail-thrush, White-winged Triller, Painted Honeyeater, Rufous Songlark and White-winged Chough. Fingers crossed. LJ, 13.10.13.

CONVIVIUM

Off to Peter Lach-Newinsky's tonight for a convivium with Bundanoon locals. Should be great. I'm talking about Aussie birds and birding in Bundy. I hope the guests get into it and I don't bore them to tears. It's all about knowing when to stop, methinks. I don't want them thinking they had a night in with Rain Man! LJ, October 1 2013.