Saturday, December 19, 2009

Park Hotspot

I've spent many hours wandering the more distant parts of Risdon Brook Park, near Risdon Vale, on the eastern shore of the Derwent River. This area is a popular spot for walkers, cyclists, joggers and families, although they largely keep to the impoundments perimeter track. Visiting in early December, I took a track along the side of a small valley that I've found to be a good birding spot. My 'schedule' for this spot, is to stand and listen, noting the calling birds. First 'cab off the rank' on this morning was the unmistakable "tinkling" call of a Blue-winged Parrot. They usually call from the tops of the dead trees higher up the side of the valley, but are hard to spot, and I failed to find them on this morning, but I had consolation of finding a juvenile Flame Robin, still being fed by its parents. Calls came thick and fast after that, the distinctive call of a Satin Flycatcher and competing Golden Whistlers, contact calls of foraging Silvereyes, Green Rosellas and Musk Lorikeets. Close by Brown Thornbills and Superb Fairy-wrens scolded me as I passed. As I stopped to watch them I noticed a bird that I couldn't ID, rapidly cross the valley, and I spent a while trying to locate it. It turned out to be a juvenile Horsfields Bronze-cuckoo, which appeared to be begging food from both the thornbills and wrens. While still focused on these birds, I heard the distinctive, somewhat mournful call of a Beautiful Firetail from the depths of the thick scrub lining the small creek running through the valley. Not uncommon in this reserve, I often hear them calling, but much less often see them. I stopped and sat at a vantage point overlooking the valley and was soon rewarded. Rarely getting to see them, let alone photograph them, this proved to be a red letter day. At least 2 pairs of Firetails, one seeming to have a helper in tow, were nest building. They were taking the material, in this case long grass stems, most measuring 30 cms or more, from high up the valley side, down into the scrub at the bottom. They passed many times, slowly and cautiously up, and rapidly down. As you can see by the accompanying images, they sometimes gave me a "photo opp.". It appeared that only one of the pair carried the material, the other riding shotgun. In the middle of all this excitement, I had several times heard a hawk calling from the canopy of nearby gums, but was reluctant to move. In the end curiosity got the better of me, and after some time searching, located the nest of a Brown Goshawk, high in a (photograhically) distant eucalypt. Surprisingly, since I was clearly visible to the female goshawk in the photo., she remained on the nest. I watched for sometime before the hawk eventually flew off and I wandered back to my 'firetail'
spot. In the next half hour or so, I was visited by Yellow Throated and Black-headed Honeyeaters, Silvereyes, a calling male Satin Flycatcher, Grey Shrike-thrush, and a Golden Whistler. I briefly heard a Swift Parrot from one of the tall blue gums, a species I have suspected may breed here. The goshawk continued to visit the nest, which almost certainly contained young, always calling as it neared, and only the female. Where was the male? I soon found out. A pair of Grey Currawong approached and was vigorously attacked by the previously unseen male, which briefly perched on a dead limb across the valley, before, presumably, returning to his vantage spot overlooking the nest site. Perhaps this was why the female called when approaching the nest? Didn't want to be mistaken for an intruder! As the morning wore on, the area quietened down, and I reluctantly left, having had another rewarding day in the park.

8 comments:

Mosura said...

The 'Goshawk on Nest' photo alone would make the day for me.

Penny said...

Sounds like a most rewarding day, and great to have such good light on the Br. Goshawk nest for a photo opp. I hope you will visit it again before the youngsters have fledged and give us an updated view.

BirdingTas said...

Hi Penny & Mosura,
looks as if you've found the goshawks more interesting than the firetails. I might be a bit biased as I've had a number of encounters with goshawks in this venue and probably see them more often than the finches! Early in the Spring I heard a hawk calling from the nearby bush. I set off to try to find it, or more correctly ID it. Just as I was about to give it away, a male Brown Goshawk holding prey, possibly a young ringtail or a bandicoot, passed, at speed, less than 2 metres over my head. It appeared to be screaming abuse at me, and briefly sat on a nearby branch just staring. Unfortunately, my ability to photograph it just didn't match the occasion--again! But the event was nonetheless, memorable. I'll endeavour to follow up on the goshawk nest.

Boobook said...

Great post. Beautiful Firetails would be renamed Elusive Firetails if I had a say.

BirdingTas said...

Hi Boobook,
All too true, although they're not uncommon in Tasmania away from "civilisation". Thinking of Boobooks! I haven't seen one for several years. Thanks for your comment.

Andrew said...

Great photos!

Mary said...

What neat birds you have! That Goshawk shot is wonderful! I like that parrot, too. Beautiful eyes.

caroline said...

Once again, your pics are amazing!
Risdon Brook dam is one of my favourite places too. Just before the dam closed tonight, 4 blue winged parrots gave me a really nice viewing. They werent scared at all and stayed within about 4 metres of me the whole time! Every time something like that happens, I wish I had YOUR camera! (I see firetails on our property at Bruny, frequently.)