‘Bush birds for Beginners’ started as 16 of us gathered in the ANBG car park on a still Sunday morning. Brown-headed, Yellow-faced & New Holland Honeyeaters were there to usher us into the gardens under the tutelage of Anthony Overs and his ‘trusted’ assistant Stuart Harris.
Anthony provided valuable tips for the ‘beginners’ who came from far and wide with varying degrees of birding experience. A happy medium was found as we casually collected 35 species (and a couple of ring-in birdos) in our 2 ½ hour stroll through the various habitats.
A highlight for many was the comprehensive performance given by a vocal Crescent Honeyeater while some would no doubt rate their encounter with the Bassian Thrush just outside the rainforest gully as significant. We saw good numbers of White-naped Honeyeaters go about their business, and had good views of a solitary female Satin Bowerbird above the lawns before the pleasant drizzle settled in.
Many thanks go to Anthony for sharing his knowledge of local bush birds, especially his acute skill in identifying their wonderful calls.
Stuart Harris