Spider hunting

Following their usual pattern Scarlet Robins have reappeared in the local bush in fair numbers after being largely absent over summer.

In this sequence an adult male was being accompanied by a female, both birds using concealed perches to hunt for prey. A wolf spider fell victim to the male, pounced upon from a low hanging branch.

I was intrigued by the last image. A tiny bead of dew suspended from the bill of the male, a prelude to yesterdays ‘autumn break’ … 56mm in total.

Few other birds were around on a still, warm afternoon – White-eared Honeyeater, Grey Currawong, Brown Thornbill, Buff-rumped Thornbill and a calling Australian Owlet-nightjar.

Scarlet Robin (adult male), Spring Hill Track, 1st April 2024

Scarlet Robin (adult female)

Male with wolf spider

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… a bead of dew hangs from its bill.

The ‘white-rumped woodswallow’

Summer visitors to the district, the White-breasted Woodswallow is perhaps more aptly described as the ‘white-rumped woodswallow’.

Of the six Australian species of woodswallow, several have pale underparts (Masked and to a lesser extent Black-faced), but the White-breasted Woodswallow alone has a pale rump.

Four species of woodswallow occur locally – Dusky, White-browed, Masked and White-breasted. The latter three are strong spring/autumn migrants, the Dusky Woodswallow less so, with a few birds present year round in some years.

White-breasted Woodswallows are almost always found near water, usually where mature River Red-gums are present. In wet years they thrive on the Moolort Plains wetlands, whereas in dry times they can be seen around Cairn Curran and along the more open sections of the Loddon River. The birds pictured below were seen yesterday, ‘hawking’ butterflies at Joyce’s Creek. The warm evening air was alive with insects (swarms of tiny midges can be seen in the first two images) and the woodswallows were enjoying rich pickings as the butterflies (mainly Common Brown) were being carried into their path on a gentle northerly.

White-breasted Woodswallows breed during their stay – several of the birds pictured are immatures going by the buff-tipped feathers on their upperparts.

White-breasted Woodswallow, Joyce’s Creek, 31st March 2024

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Migrant and resident

At certain times of year this species, the Yellow-faced Honeyeater Caligavis chrsyops, is perhaps the most abundant honeyeater in the local bush. While it can be found locally in all seasons it’s well-known for northerly migrations during autumn, travelling in large flocks along the Great Dividing Range, returning each spring in smaller groups.

While largely grey-brown the Yellow-faced Honeyeater can be easily identified by the bright yellow stripe through the eye and dusky-blue iris.

Recent taxonomic changes to the honeyeater family now place the Yellow-faced Honeyeater in the genus Caligavis (formerly Lichenostomus). It is now the only member of its genus in Australia, with two other species restricted to New Guinea.

Have a close look at images II and III – the spent dragonfly nymph cases can be seen on the twigs above the perching honeyeater.

Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Muckleford State Forest, 29th March 2024

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A friendly flycatcher

The Restless Flycatcher is a charming bird.

This one came to visit while I was photographing yesterday at the South German Track bush dam. The images below show a number of features of the species – glossy satin plumage of the crown and nape, the rictal bristles at the base of a broad-ish bill (image IV), raised crest (image II) and contrasting upper and underparts.

Females, like this one, have a pale-buff wash across the breast in fresh plumage.

What the images don’t convey are its foraging behaviour and voice. As this individual hunted around the edge of the dam it sallied for insects from a perch as well as hovering just above the ground and water before pouncing on its prey. Restless Flycatchers have a variety of calls, perhaps the best known one is a grinding bzzzrrrt, typically given while hovering and which has led to its common name, the ‘scissor-grinder’.

I had left my chair briefly, allowing the confiding flycatcher to use it as a temporary perch.

Restless Flycatcher, South German Track (Muckleford State Forest), 29th March 2024

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The grebe factory

This small bush dam on South German Track has been something of a ‘grebe factory’ over recent years. Australasian Grebes construct floating nests that are built from aquatic plants dragged together into a messy dome, the eggs hidden from sight when the adults are feeding nearby.

This year however, the dam hasn’t supported any nests, although I did see adults on the water in early summer. The lack of floating and emergent vegetation is evident in comparison to conditions over the past couple of years.

Visiting earlier this week I was delighted to see two juveniles feeding and testing their wings. I suspect they are offspring from a successful breeding effort on another dam further down the gully. All species of grebe are reluctant flyers but they are capable of long distance movements when conditions demand it.

Also noted a large flock of Tree Martins (50+ birds) around the dam. While The Rainbow Bee-eaters have moved on, the martins are hanging around a little longer.

Australasian Grebe (juvenile), South German Track, 26th March 2024

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A canny fisher

Fascinating to watch this Great Egret fishing earlier in the week at Picnic Point.

The bird was chasing small fish in the shallows, succeeding on more than 50% of its lunges.

The second and third images show deployment of what is a slightly unusual, but canny, technique. The bird was working its way into the late afternoon sun, stalking with body lowered  and tilted … presumably a strategy to render it less obvious to potential prey.

Great Egret, Picnic Point (Cairn Curran Reservoir), 18th March 2024

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Fare well

Rainbow Bee-eaters left their nesting grounds some time back and are now gathering in the forest – a prelude to departure. I expect they’ll be gone within a few days, especially if we get a strong southerly change.

Always sad to see them off … will look forward to October and their return.

Rainbow Bee-eater, South German Track, 14th March 2024

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Veteran at the ‘shine’

I won’t even hazard a guess as to the age of this specimen, a Long-leaved Box, growing near the start of the walk at the Rise and Shine Bushland Reserve. The sheer size of the swollen lignotuber at its base suggests it would certainly be in the hundreds.

Veteran Long-leaved Box, Rise and Shine Bushland Reserve, 12th March 2024

Long-leaved Box Eucalyptus goniocalyx is one of two closely related species growing locally. The other, Mealy Bundy E.nortonii, differs in having a powdery-white coating on the buds, fruits and juvenile leaves, whereas these parts on E.goniocalyx are green. It is common to find intermediates between the two species, often growing side-by-side with what appear to be pure forms of each.

Whatever the age of this wonderful specimen it will have marked the passing of countless generations of woodland birds, many of which depend on it for food, perches and nesting sites. The dark canopy is a favoured refuge for owls – I’ve seen both Southern Boobooks and Powerful Owls using it, while the flowers attract honeyeaters such as this Black-chinned Honeyeater for nectar, pollen and insects.

Black-chinned Honeyeater

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Long-leaved Box flowers and buds

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Fruits

As ‘tough as nails’

List of other birds seen or heard: Yellow-tufted Honeyeater, Fuscous Honeyeater, Red Wattlebird, Dusky Woodswallow, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Musk Lorikeet, Brown Treecreeper, Eastern Yellow Robin, Striated Pardalote, Spotted Pardalote, Rufous Whistler.

Perching birds

While the vast majority of birds have the ability to perch, those in the order Passeriformes are especially adapted to do so. Often referred to as ‘perching birds’ the species in this group typically have three forward facing toes and one backward facing toe, enabling them to perch with comfort and style.

Yesterday afternoon the selection of perches around the dam on South German Track were being well patronised by a variety of thirsty birds. You’ll note that one particular perch in this series was deemed very attractive by the visitors to the waterhole.

In addition to those species pictured below I’d add – Brown-headed Honeyeater, Peaceful Dove, White-naped Honeyeater, Crimson Eastern Rosella and Tree Martin. A Chestnut-rumped Heathwren was heard and seen briefly – my first record for some time at this spot.

One of the species pictured is not a true perching bird … I’ll let you figure out which one.

Black-chinned Honeyeater, South German Track, 10th March 2024

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Fuscous Honeyeaters

Grey Shrike-thrush

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Rainbow Bee-eater (calling)

Yellow-tufted Honeyeater

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Postscript: All of the species pictured above, apart from the Rainbow Bee-eater, are perching birds (Passeriformes). Bee-eaters belong to the Family Meropidae, which diverged from the ancestral perching birds 70 million years ago. Their closest living relatives are the the woodpeckers. Bee-eaters differ from Passeriformes in a variety of ways, one of which is that the three forward facing toes are partially fused, contributing to their awkward pigeon-toed gait when walking on the ground.

Australian King-Parrot

In recent months there have been several local observations of Australian King-Parrots by reliable observers. Sightings have been made in town as well as in bushland on the ‘west bank’. In all cases (I think) two individuals were seen, both green birds. Until this morning I hadn’t laid eyes on them.

Initially I thought the two birds landing amongst the dense foliage of the elm were Crimson Rosellas, closer inspection revealed them to be Australian King-Parrots, an adult female and a juvenile.

I watched the birds for thirty minutes or so as they foraged quietly, appearing to be extracting insects from the lichen encrusted branches as well as feasting on tender tip shoots of the elm. The female perched briefly in the open before disappearing again into the foliage.

Australian King-Parrots are generally confined to wet forests in southern and eastern Victoria, with occasional sightings of wandering birds in drier places. As well as the recent local observations they have been seen around Castlemaine and Bendigo in recent years.

Adult females and juveniles are similar in appearance. Females have darker bills, a yellow rather than brown iris, and a distinctive pale-green shoulder stripe, which is just visible in the first image below.

Australian King-Parrot (adult female), Wyndham Street Newstead, 10th March 2024

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Australian King-Parrot (juvenile)

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