You Yangs - Scarlet robins, Rufous whistler

I battled the Sunday morning fitness army at the You Yangs last weekend. The place was swarming with cyclists and runners. Without even locating the Tawny frogmouths I left the car park throng after only a few minutes (do they still hang around there?).

I was pleased to eventually find a little solitude around the gravel pits area near where Kurrajong Ave leaves the Great Circle Drive. Restless flycatcher, Striated thornbill, Dusky woodswallow and a few choughs were active here. New Holland and White-plumed were the only honeyeaters identified. I had seen Diamond firetail here in the past but not today.

The next place I stopped was to walk a 100m or so along the Branding Yard Rd. It was here that I had a lovely time with a Rufous whistler and a pair of Scarlet robin. A Shining bronze-cuckoo was hanging around but avoided my camera.

Rufous whistler giving it all, You Yangs, 21 Sept 2014

That was pretty good huh!?

Scarlet robin (male), You Yangs

Scarlet robin - female

Female Superb fairy-wren reaches for a better view of the camera man

Superb fairy-wren

White-naped honeyeater on to something stuck between two leaves 

Striated thornbill was good for my year list

Striated thornbill

A peculiar collection of leftovers include Red-rumped parrot, Pied currawong, Dusky woodswallow and Restless flycatcher ...

Sharing with Wild Bird Wednesday

Bird on!

Bird Week Day 3 - Rufous whistler showtime, birding Phillip Island

Rufous whistler (AM - as in all images on this post), Silverleaves, Phillip Island (October 2013)

I am learning that this is the time of year for Rufous whistlers to become particularly active and garrulous. Most of the year I am accustomed to views in the canopy such as this:

In late Spring they are much more noticeable and seem to spend a lot more time in the lower branches.

These are not great shots but I did really enjoy watching this fellow go through his see-sawing dance routine at eye-level.

I will try to find out whether they are semi-migratory or whether the late Spring sighting peak at Phillip Island is due entirely to the beautiful clatter they make (the graph below represents frequency of Rufous whistler sightings at Phillip Island over the last 20 years):

Screen grab from Eremaea web site

The following photos were also taken at Silverleaves but in November 2012. I don't for the life of me know why I haven't posted them before (but I feel they deserve the Blogger image "X-large" option!).

"Bye!"

Bird on!

"What's up?" at Ben Bennett Reserve, Caloundra

This Mistletoebird was checking out potential prey not predators

On Saturday 18th May I made my third visit to the Ben Bennett bushland reserve in Caloundra. Each of these visits has been in May. Once again I had a thoroughly enjoyable couple of hours and could easily have spent longer. Today's visit was dominated by the smaller birds of the subtropics.

Striated pardalote

Grey fantail

Gray fantail

Varied triller

Spangled drongo

Of the Family Pachycephlaidae the Golden whistler presented a better photo opportunity than Grey shrike-thrush and Rufous whistler (below)

Eastern yellow robin kept popping up demonstrating all those classic robin poses!

Red-browed finch

There were some of the palest Brown thornbill I have seen

The place was alive with honeyeaters. Most that caught my eye turned into Noisy miner, Little wattlebird, Brown honeyeater or Lewins honeyeater but there was the odd special surprise ...

Brown honeyeater

Brown honeyeater

Lewin's honeyeater

The last "tick" added to the day's list was Scarlet honeyeater, photographed as my lift arrived! 

From only 15 lists contributed to date I notice that the Eremaea species list for Ben Bennett is up to a respectable 68 species. The Eremaea page also provides an excellent description of the site and describes how secluded and relaxing the place feels.

Best we don't tell anyone!

Lowland rainforest section, Ben Bennett Bushland Reserve

Wet heath abuts Melaleuca woodland, Ben Bennett

Bird on!