Between the Red Goshawk and our camp for the first night in Lakefield NP, Hahn Crossing, was the Nifold Plain. In the middle of the plain is a sort-of-creek that flows during the wet and had a few connected billabongs remaining. We turned off the road and drove in a hundred metres or so. As we were pulling up, we spotted a bush full of birds. There were 150
Star Finches in the bush, all immature as far as we could tell. We set up our chairs near the edge of one of the billabongs with the light behind us shining on a dead tree that had fallen at the edge of the water -- the perfect place for small birds to come to water.
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| Star Finch Neochmia ruficauda |
A
Latham's Snipe, probably hungry after a long flight, completely disregarded us as it grubbed about in the mud on the edge.
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| Latham's Snipe Gallinago hardwickii |
Rainbow Bee-eaters zipping around with their distinctive call.
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| Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus |
The main excitement was a pair of
Spotted Harriers which flew over the top of us quite few times then landed about 30 metres away to investigate something in a pile of dead branches. Magic. It was a pretty good raptor day. Seven. Red Goshawk, Whistling Kite, White-bellied Sea-eagle, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Black Kite, Brown Falcon, Spotted Harrier.
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| Spotted Harrier Circus assimilis |
On the way there we saw an
Australian Bustard in typical pose just prior to flight.
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| Australian Bustard Ardeotis australis |
Other birds seen included ....
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| Torresian Crows Corvus orru |
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| Whistling Kite, immature Haliastur sphenurus |
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| Diamond Dove Geopelia cuneata |
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Golden-headed Cisticola
Cisticola exilis |
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| Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus |
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| Lemon-bellied Flycatcher Microeca flavigaster |
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| Sarus Crane Grus antigone |
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| Sarus Crane, immature |
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