Possible Carpentarian Grasswren at historic Borroloola site

Although I’ve shrunk away from initial 100% confidence, I’m still about 80% sure that I heard a Carpentarian Grasswren at the reserve Friday morning (20 June). I just couldn’t convert to a sighting in the limited time I had available. As expected, Carabirini Reserve, being a Northern Territory conservation resource, is presently comprised of a ‘mosaic’ of newly burnt patches, recently burnt patches (with perhaps one to two years old spinifex), and fairly recently burnt patches comprising precious limited expanses of undergrowth that look to me to be maybe five years post-‘cool burn’. The Barrawulla walkway passes through a section of perhaps a couple of hundred metres of this relatively mature habitat, adjacent to the magnificent sandstone domes, perhaps a km before the (currently unsuitable) stretch mentioned in Dolby and Clarke. It’s a beautiful section of the park with a concentration of birds predominated by very active and cheeky Sandstone Shrike-thrushes. I mention this uncertain Grasswren record because I think it is worth a look by any birders that may find themselves in that area prior to the next wave of NT-style environmental management. I don’t believe there have been confirmed northern sightings of Carpentarian Grasswrens for a few years at least, and who knows, perhaps if a sighting can be confirmed, an argument for genuine protection can be mounted. John Weigel _______________________________________________ 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