Partridge Pigeon, Hooded Parrot etc

Hi all, I went up to Darwin last Saturday to twitch the Grey Phalarope – and missed it by 5 days! Serves me right for procrastinating I guess (smile). I did have other birds to chase though but wondered about my chances of finding them during the wet season. I thought the Hooded Parrot would be the easiest because they are said to hang out in the Middle of Pine Creek, and they do. I got my best views though on the Copperfield Dam access Road, just before the picnic area. On this road I also got two species I had expected to dip on. First, a Chestnut-backed Button-quail walked across the track near the gun club gate and, best of all, a Partridge Pigeon came out onto the access road to drink at a puddle. Copperfield Dam is a great spot for birding as all the other local species were also there. I stayed the night at the Lazy Lizard in Pine Creek and, despite a total blackout in town caused by a thunder storm, they managed to serve me a Spaghetti Carbonara that tasted as good as any I have had in Melb – of course the atmosphere of eating it by candle light in the middle of a torrential rain and thunder storm might have helped (smile). The Lazy Lizard camp ground also has a very active Great Bowerbird bower and it was interesting to watch the male court a female. Two other new birds for me were a Yellow-rumped Mannikin at Knuckey’s Lagoon and a Rufous Owl at the Howard Springs Nature Reserve. Total species seen in 4 days was 102 which I thought was pretty good for the wet season. cheers Jenny http://jenniferspryausbirding.blogspot.com.au/ _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org