PW and I went to a well-known parrot
location in Heyfield to see …..
Hang on. Something ambiguous about that
sentence. Was it a well-known parrot or a well-known location? Or both? The
parrot is well-known in Heyfield since last Monday when HBW and BLEG saw them
on the well-known Heyfield Golf Course. The parrot is the Swift Parrot, an
endangered species that breeds in Tasmania during the summer and migrates to
and fro the mainland in autumn and spring getting as far “up” the Qld border.
Peter invited me to be a second pair of eyes to spot these swift parrots.
We perused the fulsomely free-flowering box
trees ...
... but it seemed none of Monday’s visitors had stayed. See Pearsondale Birder. There were Rainbow
and Musk Lorikeets flitting/zooming all around with their screeching/chatter
but no Swifties. No trouble spotting a Crimson or an Eastern. Duck when the Miners fly past. When you can only base an id on a Simpson & Day painting, it is a bit
hard to know if you’ve "got on to one" at first. I had one potential but the bins
showed it to be a Musk Lorikeet. Easily confused.
Against the sun. A redheaded parrotty lorikeety bird in there? I think. |
Ah yes. Just a Musk Lorikeet. Just! But very nice. |
Ah well. Not to worry. We had a stroll
around the course. Beautifully tended greens and fairways. Great rough and bush
beautifully tended by a recently retired greens-keeper. Lots of pathways and
plantings. Orchids ready to provide a spring profusion.
Had a cuppa. Perhaps the nectar flow had picked up during smoko. Before calling it quits
decided to have “One more look. You never know.”
Well you don’t know and there they were. We
first spotted a pair “sprinting” across an open space between two rows of
trees. Then, standing still and silent, heard the quiet “clink, clink” Simpson & Day,
“pee-pit, pee-pit, pee-pit” Pizzey & Knight, tinkling chatter Slater of the Swift Parrot.
Located an obliging pair who we watched for 20 minutes or so as they systematically worked amongst the flowers. Once seen, and
with a few Swiftie mates flying in and out, we realized there were at least 20
around, in small groups of 2 to 6. And, indeed, they are swift in flight.
Swift Parrot x2. |
Perhaps immature? On his first flight back home? |
Magic birding. Thanks Peter.
Welcome Jack. You got some good photos of the Swifts.
ReplyDeleteRoss.
Cheers Ross. We were well placed and fortunate.
ReplyDelete