TAWNY GRASSBIRD

Photographed at Samsonville, Queensland August 2015

646         TAWNY GRASSBIRD           Megalurus timoriensis

Australia         (489)

 Found in coastal heaths, rank grasses, cane grass, combing swamps, grassy dunes, crops. Range: mostly coastal n. and e. Aust., from Kimberley (WA) to Shoalhaven R. (NSW), inland to Atherton Tablelands-Charters Towers-Tambo-Carnarvon Ras. NP (Q); Moree-Macquarie Marshes-Gilgandra (NSW); vagrant King Island; Bass Strait. 17-19 cm.

HELMETED GUINEAFOWL

Photographed at Samsonvale Cemetery where they have been present since 2007, and locals reports pockets of them in surrounding valleys. August 2015

645          HELMETED GUINEAFOWL            Numida meleagris

Australia        (488)

Introduced into Australia. There are a few surviving populations on islands of the Great Barrier Reef and around Brisbane. 6cm. Found in scrub or woodland. 60 cm.

Photographed near Walkamin, Queensland October 2015

LESSER SAND PLOVER

Photographed at Kakadu Beach, Bribe Island, Queensland August 2015

644             LESSER SAND PLOVER           Charadrius mongolus

Australia         (487)

Also known as Mongolian Sand Plover, Mongolian Plover or Mongolian Dotterel. 19-21 cm. Found on tidal mudflats and sandblast; gently sloping sandy and shelly beaches; salt marsh, estuaries, atolls, reefs, mangroves, airfields. Occasionally on inland freshwater lakes, swamps, bore drains etc. Range: breeds in e. and ne Siberia; regular summer migrant (Aug.-May) to mostly coastal Aust., Tas., and NZ; scattered inland occurrences. Regular in low thousands in some areas, such as Gulf of Carpentaria and Moreton Bay (Q).

EMERALD DOVE

Emerald Dove, race chrysochlora, photographed at Redwood Park, Queensland August 2015.

643           EMERALD DOVE          Chalcophaps indica  

Australia        (486)

Also called Emerald Pigeon, Green Dove and Green-winged Pigeon. 23-28 cm. Found on the edges/clearings in rainforests; tropical, sub-tropical scrubs; wet eucalypt forest; lantana, coastal heaths, scrubs, mangroves, fruiting trees, farms, gardens; drier habitats in winter. Range: coastal n. and e. Aust. and islands: race longirostris from c. Walcott Inlet, Kimberley (WA) through Top End (NT); race chrysochlora from C. York Pen. (Q), s through coastal e. Aust. to c. Shoalhaven R. (NSW), casual s. Vic. and sw. WA; also Lord Howe and Norfolk Is. Common, nomadic. Also New Cal., PNG to se Asia.

Next 3 photographs taken Norfolk Island January 2016

FUSCOUS HONEYEATER

Photographed at Durikai State Forest, Queensland August 2015

642             FUSCOUS HONEYEATER          Lichenostomus fuscus

Australia       (485)

15-16 cm. Found in open forest/woodlands, river red gums on watercourses, rainforest margins; inland scrubs - bear, brigalow; tall mallee, coastal banksia-scrubs, heathlands, gardens. Range: e. and se. Just., from Cooktown-Atherton Tablelands (Q) to e. SA. In Q.  inland to upper Mt Garnet-Charters Towers-Chinchilla-Wallangarra; in NSW inland to Bingara-Warrumbungle NP-Lake Cargellico-s. Riverina, on river red gum forests; in Vict., widespread in ne. and central woodlands, s. to Melbourne, w. through Grampians NP; absent from coastal areas (except Gippsland Lakes) and mostly from nw. Vict; in SA n. to Sutherlands-s. Flinders Ras. Common.Blossoms nomad.

WOMPOO FRUIT-DOVE

Photographed at Ravensbourne National Park, Queensland August 2015.

641             WOMPOO FRUIT-DOVE               Ptilinopus magnificus

Australia          (484)

Also known as Bubbly Jock or Mary, Green or King Pigeon, Magnificent Fruit-Dove, Wompoo Fruit Pigeon or Wompoo Pigeon. 35-50 cm. Found in rainforests, monsoon forests, adjacent eucalypt forest, fruiting trees on scrubby creeks or in open country. Range: coastal e. Aust. and forested coastal islands: from C. York (Q) to c. lower Hunter R. region (NSW), formerly s. to Illawarra; mostly on and e. of Divide. Fairly common in Q., scarcer in NSW. 

  

MANGROVE HONEYEATER

Photographed at Eagleby Wetlands, Brisbane August 2015.

640          MANGROVE HONEYEATER           Lichenostomus fasciogularis

Australia        (483)

18-21 cm. Found in mangroves, nearby eucalypt woodlands; trees in coastal towns. Range: coastal e. Aust. and islands, incl. Capricorn Group; from c. Townsville (Q), s. to c. Macksville (NSW). Common in n., rare in s.

RUFOUS FANTAIL

Photographed at Eagleby Wetlands, Brisbane August 2015.

639          RUFOUS FANTAIL           Rhipidura rufifrons

Australia          (482)

15-16.5 cm. Found in the undergrowth of rainforests/wetter eucalypt forests/gullies; monsoon forests, paperbarks, sub-inland and coastal scrubs; mangroves, watercourses; parks, gardens. On migration, farms, streets, buildings. Range: coastal n. and e. Aust., and islands. Breeding migrant (Oct-April) to se Aust., mostly on and coastward of Gt Divide, w. to Grampians NP-sw Vic.; casual w. to Mt Lofty Ras.; vagrant Tas. Extends well inland in river red gum forests of Murray Valley/Riverina-Hay-Dubbo (NSW); Darling Downs (Q). Altitudinal migrant in ne. NSW -e. Q. leaving mountain rainforests March-April, returning Sept.-Oct. Regular autumn-winter migrant to PNG across Torres Strait. Also resident Soloman Is., PNG, e. Indonesia, Guam.             

COLLARED KINGFISHER

Collared Kingfisher, taken at Nudgee Beach, Brisbane August 2015.

638           COLLARED KINGFISHER            Todiramphus chloris

Australia            (481)

Also known as Mangrove Kingfisher. 24-29 cm. In Australia found in mangroves, tidal creeks, nearby beaches, mudflats, jetties, poles, street trees, gardens. Range: coastal n. Aust. from ne. NSW (lower Clarence R.) to Shark Bay (WA). Common, s. birds are migratory. Also found in Polynesia to Red Sea.

EASTERN GROUND PARROT

Campbell, Wood and Leseberg, Birds of Australia say: "usually seen flying low over heath after being flushed". This was the only photograph I managed after flushing the Ground Parrot. Photographed at Barron Grounds, NSW July 2015

637           EASTERN GROUND PARROT         Pezoporus wallicus

Australia           (480)

Also called Button-grass or Swamp Parrot. 28-32 cm. Found in coastal heaths, swampy areas, drier ridges, burned areas in same; nearby grasslands. In Tas. button-grass, moorlands. Range: from ne. of Gympie, and Fraser Is. (Q) to e. and s. Vic. (formerly se SA); widespread w. and sw. Tas. .

EASTERN BRISTLEBIRD

Photographed at Barron Grounds National Park, NSW, July 2015.

636          EASTERN BRISTLEBIRD               Dasyornis brachypterus

Australia      (479)

Also known as Brown Bristlebird. 20-22 cm. Range: coastal se. Aust., scattered, isolated populations, from c. Marlo (e. Vic) to Cooloola NP and Conondale Ra., c. 100 km n. of Brisbane (Q). Found in coastal woodlands, dense scrubs and heathlands, especially wheeler heathland borders taller woodland or dense tall tea-tree. In McPherson Ras. (Q), heathy country above 600 m and open areas with gullies and ridges vegetated with dense Poa tussocks, near tall open eucalypt woodland, rainforest. Fire makes habitat unsuitable in short term but probably necessary for long term. Rare and vulnerable.