After birding on the Farm I started to explore nearby bird-rich locations discovered on the internet. The closest was a small rainforest reserve close by at Booyong a little further along Wilson's River. The Reserve is very dense primary rainforest which once covered this entire area, very little remains. Trails can be walked inside but as is often the case most birds are seen around the edges. This Sulphur-crested Cockatoo sat and watched as I entered the dark forest trail.
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo - cacatua galerita
Rainforest is my absolute favourite birding habitat. The light is usually terrible, birds are often scarce and hard to get a clear shot at in dense undergrowth, all very challenging but It is therefore very satisfying to get a decent image of birds that most people never see. This little Rufous Fantail for example, one of a pair that followed me around and put on a superb display in the murky light. I was using flash, it was the only way to get anything at all, but I was pleased with the result.
Rufous Fantail - rhipidura rufifrons
Rustling sounds from the forest floor are the first indication of the presence of this curious bird, the Australian Logrunner. It spends its time in pairs on the ground scraping away the leaf litter in search of insects and grubs, always in dense undergrowth. I was again pleased to get a recognizable shot using flash.
Australian Logrunner - Orthonyx temminckii
These two were all I managed to capture inside the forest. I did catch sight of a fabulous Regent Bowerbird but not good enough to get a usable photograph. Pity, it is a very spectacular bird. nevertheless I sat opposite the entrance trails and observed the following,-
Eastern Yellow Robin - eopsaltria australis
The Eastern Yellow Robin is quite a common little bird, similar to the British Robin in that it is not shy, in fact is one of the easiest birds to photograph. It is not related to the European Robin however, being in a different bird family.
White-browed Scrubwren - sericornis frontalis
The White-browed Scrub Wren is also quite numerous but much harder to photograph. It's one of those that never stops moving and being an LBJ (little brown job) is quite inconspicuous.
The Golden Whistler on the other hand is much easier. Being larger and mostly bright yellow it is easier to see, plus it advertises its presence with it's constant, whistling song. A very attractive and jolly little chap.
The Golden Whistler on the other hand is much easier. Being larger and mostly bright yellow it is easier to see, plus it advertises its presence with it's constant, whistling song. A very attractive and jolly little chap.
Golden Whistler - pachycephala pectoralis
Golden Whistlers are strongly sexually dimorphic, that is the males and females are markedly different. The female (below right) is greeny-brown and nothing like as colourful as the male.
 Golden Whistler - pachycephala pectoralis |  Golden Whistler female - pachycephala pectoralis |
The Grey Fantail is similar to its Rufous cousin in shape and size, just not so colourful. I saw this species around the edges of woodland rather than inside the forest.
Grey Fantail - rhipidura albiscapa
There were many more species lurking inside that dark rainforest that I did not manage to photograph. For example the magnificent Regent Bowerbird and I also heard and caught sight of Green Catbird, Rose-crowned Fruit Dove, and possibly Bar-shouldered Dove, although not sure of the latter. Anyway although very small Booyong is an excellent little Reserve with high biodiversity.
While at Booyong I spotted a flock of large, dark and very eerily noisy birds flying overhead. They flew with a very deep, slow and fluid wingbeat so I realised they were something interesting. I headed off in that direction and sure enough found a group of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos in a tree plantation, on private land but fortunately not too far from the road.
While at Booyong I spotted a flock of large, dark and very eerily noisy birds flying overhead. They flew with a very deep, slow and fluid wingbeat so I realised they were something interesting. I headed off in that direction and sure enough found a group of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos in a tree plantation, on private land but fortunately not too far from the road.
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo - calyptorhynchus funereus
I had been really keen to see Black Cockatoos. Quite apart from their beauty they have a mystical quality and the Yellow-tailed variety is the largest of Australia's parrot species. Spectacular in sight and sound and beautiful in flight, it was exciting to see and hear them in the wild. This particular species is not one of the rarist but it is in decline due to habitat loss. I hope it does not go the way of the Australian Paradise Parrot which is either extinct or very nearly extinct due to habitat destruction to make way for cattle pasture.
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo - calyptorhynchus funereus
About one hours drive NW of the Farm is the Nightcap Mountain Range National Park, it contains Boulder Creek Dam which provides the region's freshwater. It also happens to be an outstanding reserve for wildlife and birds in particular.
Scarlet Honeyeater - myzomela sanguinolenta
The first interesting birds that I picked up were these stunning Scarlet Honeyeaters feeding on nectar from a large waterside flowering tree.
Scarlet Honeyeater - myzomela sanguinolenta
The Scarlet Honeyeater is the smallest of Australia's Honeyeaters, which is a very large and diverse group. In other parts of the World it is known as the Scarlet Myzomela but I prefer the more descriptive name of Honeyeater. They do in fact occasionally hover in front of a flower to probe for nectar with the long, curved bill in a similar fashion to Hummingbirds and Sunbirds, but they also feed on insects. They were quite difficult to photograph high up in the canopy of a tall flowering tree, with the added complication that they never stop moving for an instant. Perseverence is required.
Scarlet Honeyeater - myzomela sanguinolenta
Every time I visited wooded areas I heard the distinctive and unmistakable sound of the Whipbird. There is no mistaking this noise. Starting with a peeping whistle & culminating in the loud cracking of a whip. The trouble had been in seeing the bird that makes this incredible sound. Well today I got lucky, a pair of Eastern Whipbirds appeared out of the thick undergrowth onto an open patch of grass and I was able to get a shot and actually watch them making their call. The whole body shakes as the whip cracks, it must take a lot of energy to keep producing that sound.
Eastern Whibird - psophodes olivaceus
Ravens are quite common in Australia and there are three varieties. They are not easy to distinguish between each other and a couple of other Crow species, they all have white irises and are quite glossy, but I believe the one below is an Australian Raven. It is the only one with long hackles (Loose feathers) below the neck which were prominent when the bird was calling.
Australian Raven - corvus coronoides
This next one however I think is a Forest Raven. Not just because of the thick wooded habitat but I observed it closely and heard its wonderful cawing call, deep, gravelly and far-carrying. A fantastic sound.
Forest Raven - corvus tasmanicus boreus
A feature of the Reserve here is a superb waterside boarwalk which passes through woodland along the banks of a creek winding its way down to the reservois. I spent some time here watching a startling blue Azure Kingfisher successfully catching fish from its overhanging perch. The light was not very good but I did get some recognizable shots.
Azure Kingfisher - ceyx azureus
I also squeezed off a few shots of a Little Pied Cormorant perched on a log below me. Not easy to get clear shots through the overhanging trees but this was the best of the bunch. I am always pleased to see new birds to add to my life list.
Figbirds were moving around in the trees, the male is easy to pick out with that red patch around the eyes......
Figbird - sphecotheres vieilloti
.....but the female is completely different. Grey-brown with a speckled breast, it looks like a thrush.
Figbird female - sphecotheres vieilloti
There were plenty more birds to watch here but many I had already seen elsewhere. In my search for new and interesting species I needed to vary the habitat & seek out new environments.
