Big Year Update

Hi Folks

Having recently passed the midway mark of my Big Year, I’ve taken a short break to reacquaint myself with family and workmates, and to write up some (very) informal trip reports on my blog. If you are interested, please check out www.birdingfordevils.com.au . The reports cover a marathon ten-week road-trip through the guts of the inland and all of the Top End from Kimberleys to Cape York. The Jeep clocked up 35,000km – an average 500km per day – with many days extending well beyond the 1,000km mark, maintaining a break-neck pace that began over six months and 671 bird species ago.

Following yesterday’s vomitathon off of Wollongong (I believe I was the only sickie again, but was rewarded with two hard-earned, though common seabird ticks) I have three more days at home, then a ten-day bird-targeted run from home (Gosford) to and from the 5 August Portland Vic pelagic trip. Although I have reasonably good oil on some of the species I’m chasing, I thought I’d ask in this forum for any very recent sightings for any of the following birds. Of course I have the current Birdline listings, so looking for additional sightings. Any help would be appreciated – just email me at jweigel@reptilepark.com.au or ring me on 0414 883 166.

Looking for current locations (anywhere in the southeast really, from Brisbane to Adelaide) for: King Quail Australian Bittern (yeah, right) Superb Parrot (they are apparently on the move…) Scarlet-chested Parrot (hoping they will return to Gluepot soon – I apparently missed them by days back in early April) Lewin’s Rail (where a visual is reasonably possible – I’ve heard these bad-boys taunting from reed-beds all year) Painted Snipe (I was the only member of group of three birders to not see a flushed bird at Lake Argyle a few weeks ago) Crescent Honeyeater Fuscus Honeyeater Painted Honeyeater (yeah, I know)

Because I had two flight cancellations to Melaleuca from Hobart in the summer, I didn’t get OBP. It would therefore be greatly appreciated if anyone who knows of a wintertime hangout in Victoria could help out. I know the secret handshake and will keep all info confidential if desired.

Apart from the southeast, which is really the last honeypot of species for me, along with Lord Howe Island, I only have a few birds left heading across to the southwest at end of September (Nullarbor QT, Western Corella, western ssp of Crested Shrike-tit, the swan), then up the coast to Broome. Elsewhere across the continent it’s getting to be fairly slim pickings. . I’ve decided to blow the rest of my wife’s and my retirement fund and will be visiting Christmas Island / Cocos Keeling, as well as Boigu / Saibai Islands all for the second time this year, in November.

Although Sean has been very encouraging, generous with information and graciously optimistic about what my end of year tally might be, his record 720 (IOC) species remains a very distant goal – believe me, and is very much dependent upon lots of success on boats – for which I have very mixed feelings. I still have the following to ‘look forward to’: six more one-day pelagics planned (four of these will be off Eaglehawk in September – I thought I was going to die out there on the Pauletta last year – I sincerely wanted to), the 8-day Ashmore Reef trip with George Swan and hard-cores in late October, the 8-day Heritage run from Albany to Hobart first week of December, then the piece-de-résistance – 13 Days from Hobart to NZ via Macca, on seas that I really don’t want to even think about.

John Weigel Australian Reptile Park Pacific Hwy, Somersby, NSW. PO Box 737, Gosford, NSW, 2250 ph 02 4340 1022 fax 02 4340 2990 jweigel@reptilepark.com.au www.reptilepark.com.au www.devilark.com.au www.snakeranch.com.au

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