Bowerbird at Quirindi, south of Tamworth
By Birding-Aus, on May 5th, 2011
While driving into Quirindi from the New England Highway, I saw what I saw a bowerbird land beside, then fly into an orange-berried bush in a garden. Bins were’nt handy and anyway was driving to a meeting with no time to stop. At a glance it looked a bit like a pale Western Bowerbird with which I’m familiar so I assumed it was a Spotted Bowerbird. But Birdata shows Quirindi a bit outside its range but just inside the Satin Bowerbird range so am now assuming it was probably a female of the latter species. Would anyone familiar with birds in the area care to comment?
This discussion reminds me that about a decade ago I was driving from Brisbane to Sydney and as I was passing through Scone, not far south of Quirindi, I was 99 percent certain I saw a Spotted Bowerbird fly across the New England Highway, through a local park. Unfortunately I couldn’t stop, and because of my lack of certainty I unfortunately never reported or recorded it. Maybe I was right all along, and I should have chased it harder. Make of this belated claim what you will, but I doubt I’d mistake a Spotted Bowerbird for a female Satin – they are uber familiar in SE Qld.
Anyway, I’ve always remembered that sighting every time I’ve driven through that part of the world since, and looked out for them. Maybe this anecdote might give this thread some extra credence…
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Thanks for your support on this. I believe non-definite reports are useful in alerting folk to possibilities.
As for un-tickable sightings, I often find that when I eventually get a good view of a particular species, I find I can upgrade or delete some probable/possible sightings but there is nothing quite like seeing and knowing at the same moment – the twitcher’s addiction!
Cheers
Mark Stanley Sent via BlackBerry® from Telstra
I agree with both Mick and Jeff. This report is really worth following up (interested to hear if Alan Morris comes up with anything). As Jeff states, if you thought it looked like a Western Bowerbird then it is unlikely that you were looking at a female Satin Bowerbird. The recent rains have certainly impacted on bird movements, with some species turning up in unusual places.
In terms of your personal records, it may be worth trusting your judgement – although for your life list it may have to go down as a ‘non tickable sighting’. Over the years I have had many of them.
Cheers,
Tim Dolby
________________________________________ Sent: Friday, May 06, 2011 1:24 PM
Hi Mark and Tim et al,
Great timing, as I’ve just returned from seeing a Spotted Bowerbird at North Rothbury, which is roughly 170km further along the New England Highway towards the coast (as Tim has just pointed out). To give something of a background, a local observer (Andrew Zoneff) made a small number of observations of Spotted Bowerbirds in the vicinity of North Rothbury / Pokolbin last year, including one observation of 3 birds together, associating with Satins. They weren’t reported at the time but after he photographed one in his backyard (North Rothbury) a few weeks ago and sent me the image, a few keen Hunter birders have been out and have found the bird(s), Allan Richardson being the first (and it’s a great photo on Birdline that he took too).
I was looking at one about 2 hours ago!
I have also seen one at Munghorn Gap and Dave Geering saw one at Merriwa in 2003, both which are east of the GDR.
I have never seen any species of Bowerbird at Quirindi but I wouldn’t write Spotted Bowerbird off just yet, especially given that there seems to be a small population around North Rothbury (and perhaps elsewhere in the Hunter?). There are some nice ‘western’ birds not far from Quirindi, like Inland Thornbill, White-winged Fairy-wren, Blue Bonnet, Ringnecks, Cockatiel etc. I have seen Apostlebirds on the road between Quirindi and Willow Tree.
Could be worthy of further investigation.
Mick
p.s. – I will forward this to Alan Morris for his comment. ________________________________ Sent: Fri, 6 May, 2011 12:53:28 PM
Hi Mark,
Just quickly here’s what I can ascertain.
In terms of Spotted Bowerbird, I can find a record at Premer, 80 km west of Quirindi, and at Split Rock Reservoir, 100 km northwest of Quirindi. The closest established populations is at Leard State Forest and Mt Kaputar National Park, 120 km northwest of Quirindi. However interestingly just a couple of weeks ago a Spotted Bowerbird was seen in the urban streets of Rothbury by Allan Richardson (4/10/2011) and then again by Steve Roderick (4/30/2011). See a NSW Birdline report at http://www.eremaea.com/BirdlineRecentSightings.aspx?Birdline=2 and scroll down to #17296.A remarkable record, this 170 km southeast of Quirindi, and just 50 km from Newcastle.
In terms of Satin Bowerbird, they have been recorded in Quirindi once before, as well as nearby at Wallabadah, 15 km east of Quirindi, and they are resident at Murrurundi, 35 km to the southeast.
Going by this, my guess is that your bird was a female Satin Bowerbird.
Cheers,
Tim Dolby
________________________________________ Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2011 9:33 PM
While driving into Quirindi from the New England Highway, I saw what I saw a bowerbird land beside, then fly into an orange-berried bush in a garden. Bins were’nt handy and anyway was driving to a meeting with no time to stop. At a glance it looked a bit like a pale Western Bowerbird with which I’m familiar so I assumed it was a Spotted Bowerbird. But Birdata shows Quirindi a bit outside its range but just inside the Satin Bowerbird range so am now assuming it was probably a female of the latter species. Would anyone familiar with birds in the area care to comment?
Hi Mark and Tim et al,
Great timing, as I’ve just returned from seeing a Spotted Bowerbird at North Rothbury, which is roughly 170km further along the New England Highway towards the coast (as Tim has just pointed out). To give something of a background, a local observer (Andrew Zoneff) made a small number of observations of Spotted Bowerbirds in the vicinity of North Rothbury / Pokolbin last year, including one observation of 3 birds together, associating with Satins. They weren’t reported at the time but after he photographed one in his backyard (North Rothbury) a few weeks ago and sent me the image, a few keen Hunter birders have been out and have found the bird(s), Allan Richardson being the first (and it’s a great photo on Birdline that he took too).
I was looking at one about 2 hours ago!
I have also seen one at Munghorn Gap and Dave Geering saw one at Merriwa in 2003, both which are east of the GDR.
I have never seen any species of Bowerbird at Quirindi but I wouldn’t write Spotted Bowerbird off just yet, especially given that there seems to be a small population around North Rothbury (and perhaps elsewhere in the Hunter?). There are some nice ‘western’ birds not far from Quirindi, like Inland Thornbill, White-winged Fairy-wren, Blue Bonnet, Ringnecks, Cockatiel etc. I have seen Apostlebirds on the road between Quirindi and Willow Tree.
Could be worthy of further investigation.
Mick
p.s. – I will forward this to Alan Morris for his comment.
________________________________ Sent: Fri, 6 May, 2011 12:53:28 PM
Hi Mark,
Just quickly here’s what I can ascertain.
In terms of Spotted Bowerbird, I can find a record at Premer, 80 km west of Quirindi, and at Split Rock Reservoir, 100 km northwest of Quirindi. The closest established populations is at Leard State Forest and Mt Kaputar National Park, 120 km northwest of Quirindi. However interestingly just a couple of weeks ago a Spotted Bowerbird was seen in the urban streets of Rothbury by Allan Richardson (4/10/2011) and then again by Steve Roderick (4/30/2011). See a NSW Birdline report at http://www.eremaea.com/BirdlineRecentSightings.aspx?Birdline=2 and scroll down to #17296.A remarkable record, this 170 km southeast of Quirindi, and just 50 km from Newcastle.
In terms of Satin Bowerbird, they have been recorded in Quirindi once before, as well as nearby at Wallabadah, 15 km east of Quirindi, and they are resident at Murrurundi, 35 km to the southeast.
Going by this, my guess is that your bird was a female Satin Bowerbird.
Cheers,
Tim Dolby
________________________________________ [birding-aus-bounces@lists.vicnet.net.au] on behalf of Mark Stanley [markjstanley@gmail.com] Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2011 9:33 PM
While driving into Quirindi from the New England Highway, I saw what I saw a bowerbird land beside, then fly into an orange-berried bush in a garden. Bins were’nt handy and anyway was driving to a meeting with no time to stop. At a glance it looked a bit like a pale Western Bowerbird with which I’m familiar so I assumed it was a Spotted Bowerbird. But Birdata shows Quirindi a bit outside its range but just inside the Satin Bowerbird range so am now assuming it was probably a female of the latter species. Would anyone familiar with birds in the area care to comment?
G’day Tim and Mark,
I wouldn’t give up on Spotted Bowerbird, from an appearance point of view Spotted and female Satin don’t have a lot in common. If Mark thought it looked like a Western Bowerbird then he was unlikely to be looking at a female Satin Bowerbird. The fact that one species may be naturally a hand full of kilometers closer to the location shouldn’t end the matter.
Cheers Jeff.
Hi Mark,
Just quickly here’s what I can ascertain.
In terms of Spotted Bowerbird, I can find a record at Premer, 80 km west of Quirindi, and at Split Rock Reservoir, 100 km northwest of Quirindi. The closest established populations is at Leard State Forest and Mt Kaputar National Park, 120 km northwest of Quirindi. However interestingly just a couple of weeks ago a Spotted Bowerbird was seen in the urban streets of Rothbury by Allan Richardson (4/10/2011) and then again by Steve Roderick (4/30/2011). See a NSW Birdline report at http://www.eremaea.com/BirdlineRecentSightings.aspx?Birdline=2 and scroll down to #17296.A remarkable record, this 170 km southeast of Quirindi, and just 50 km from Newcastle.
In terms of Satin Bowerbird, they have been recorded in Quirindi once before, as well as nearby at Wallabadah, 15 km east of Quirindi, and they are resident at Murrurundi, 35 km to the southeast.
Going by this, my guess is that your bird was a female Satin Bowerbird.
Cheers,
Tim Dolby
________________________________________ Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2011 9:33 PM
While driving into Quirindi from the New England Highway, I saw what I saw a bowerbird land beside, then fly into an orange-berried bush in a garden. Bins were’nt handy and anyway was driving to a meeting with no time to stop. At a glance it looked a bit like a pale Western Bowerbird with which I’m familiar so I assumed it was a Spotted Bowerbird. But Birdata shows Quirindi a bit outside its range but just inside the Satin Bowerbird range so am now assuming it was probably a female of the latter species. Would anyone familiar with birds in the area care to comment?