1.10.25
Mt Nebo & Mt Glorious
Once again I picked Brian (BP Ireland) at 5.30 and we arrived at our first stop at 6 – the Spotted Quail Thrush track on Mt Nebo.
We quietly walked the track from the main road across to the side road into Bellbird Park itself without any Quail Thrush success, but did have a couple of Channel-billed Cuckoos fly over screaming wildly, as they do.
We walked down the side road to the first gate on the right and spent some time watching the forest floor and listening. Brian wandered off down the slope for a few minutes and I continued to look from the gate area. A few minutes later and Elliot appeared, a birder I had known for several years but hadn’t seen in some time. He waved me down and I joined Brian and Elliot’s client (he was guiding) further down the side road where we all watched a male Spotted Quail Thrush perched up singing. Nice find, thanks Elliot! Brian was rapt with the lifer and the view.
Spotted Quail Thrush (Male)
They pushed off fairly quickly and Brian and I continued to bird the road as we worked our way back to the car. We had a couple of White-naped Honeyeaters (lifer no 2 for Brian), Striated Pardalotes, Leaden Flycatcher, Pale-headed Rosella, Australian Golden Whistler and a single female Scarlet Honeyeater. The light was harsh, it was overcast and difficult to get colour of any sort.
We moved on to Bombana and tried for Striated Thornbill without success – this was a day for targeting specifics – then on through Mt Nebo ‘village’ and 200 meters before the Westridge Outlook found the Bell Miner colony I had heard a couple of weeks previously.
There were about 20 birds calling along the road, but were incredibly difficult to find in the upper canopy. We did eventually – dodging cars, bikes and motorbikes on the road – get identifiable views (lifer no 3 for Brian) of a couple of birds and then moved on again.
Lawton Rd and we parked up and walked in – an attempt here for Red-browed Treecreeper that failed. I added a couple of species to my site list but otherwise it was disappointing.
By this time we needed a coffee so returned to the Café at Mt Glorious and had breakfast on the back verandah accompanied by Green Catbirds, a female Satin Bowerbird, Little Wattlebird and the resident (?) Lewin’s Honeyeater which licked egg off my plate.
Brian needed to be back in reasonable time so we left the café at 10 agreeing to a brief stop again at Bombana.
We got there, walked in 50 meters and had excellent views of Striated Thornbill (lifer #4 for Brian).
Striated Thornbill
It was then that Brian realised he’d lost his glasses.
We searched the area and the walk back to the car, then the car, then drove back to the Café.
No sign of the glasses there and the staff hadn’t found them, so back to Lawton Rd.
We walked slowly the 200 meters or so down and back along the track searching with no result – so back to the café again, again with no success.
Brian wanted to try Lawton Rd again as that was his last memory of having the item, so we drove back there and again walked the 400 meter round trip slowly and patiently.
Heading home we again checked Bombana with no result and I eventually dropped him off at 12.45.
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