LOGRUNNER

Logrunner, female

4.   LOGRUNNER  Orthonyx temminckii

Australia (4)

Also known as Spinetail, Southern or Spine-tailed log runner. It is 18-20 cms. It is a ground dwelling bird which scratches around like a chicken. It is found on the floor of leafy rainforrests. Its range is along the coast and nearby mountains from just above Brisbane to just below Sydney, but much more common in Queensland than NSW. Found in pairs or family groups and can be noisy. Leaves a small depression in the ground where it has been foraging. The male has the orange chest.

These photographs were taken in the Lammerton National Park, southern Queensland.

Male logrunner

RED-WINGED PARROT

3.   RED-WINGED PARROT  Aprosmictus erythropterus coccineopterus

Australia (3)

The Red-winged parrot is between 30 and 33 cm. It is found across the north of Australia and down into southern Queensland and northern NSW. It is often found in pairs or small flocks near water. It will hang around with rosellas and ringneck parrots. It is found in woodlands, on the fringes of forests, mangroves, watercourses, mulga, casuarina, cypress scrub or crops. They are nomadic.

These photographs were taken at Coen on the Cape York Peninsular.

YELLOW-BELLIED SUNBIRD

2.   YELLOW-BELLIED SUNBIRD     (Nectarine jugulars) Cinnyris jugularis frenatus

Australia (2)

Also known as the Olive-backed or Yellow-breasted Sunbird. It is from 11-12cm long. Found on the north coast of Queensland from Bundaberg up and around into the gulf. Also found on islands off the coast. This one was photographed not far from the tip of Cape York. I have also photographed them in the Daintree. They frequent the fringe of rainforrests, vegetation near creeks and rivers, orchards and gardens.

Note: Now known as Olive-backed Sunbird.

A female sunbird, photography right at the tip of Cape York.

PALM COCKATOO

1.   PALM COCKATOO    Probosciger aterrimus.

Australia (1)

Palm cockatoos are a treat to see. They are one of Australia's largest parrots, being between 56-64 cm. They are found on the Cape York Peninsular, generally above the Archer River area. They live on the edges of tropical lowland rainforrests or in eucalyptus and swamp woodlands.

These pictures were taken early in the morning while the birds, a group of four, were feeding on trees in the caravan park at Seisia in Cape York (May 2014)

INSPIRED

Tom Gullick, birdwatcher (Photo from net)

I recently saw this article about Tom Gullick. He is arguably the world's greatest bird-watcher, and he officially holds the record for the most species of birds ever seen by one person. He is an 81years old, ex-naval officer who travels the world spotting birds. Tom has been listing birds for the past 40 years. The photo above shows his latest find, bird number 9000, the Wallace's fruit dove, Ptilinopus wallacii. The bird was seen by Tom on a birding expedition to the remote Indonesian island of Yamdena.

Depending on the taxonomic list that is used there are between 8,800 and 10,200 living birds species in the world. Some people have made it a lifelong quest to see as many of these birds as possible. The list of the top bird observers is currently as follows:
                    Tom Gullick                        9,000
                    John Hornbuckle                 8,958
                    Claes-Goran Cederlund       8,943
                    Hugh Buck                          8,619
                    Philip Rostron                     8,475
                    Phoebe Snetsinger               8,400
                    Jean-Marc Thiollay             8,259
                    Peter Kaestner                     8,200
                    Pete Winter                          7,700
                   Bjorn Anderson                    7,635
                   John Danzenbaker                7,529
                   Jim Clements                        7,200
                   Richard Koeppel                   7,000
                   Harvey Gilston                     6,800
                   Robert Shore                           400 (approx)

So I have probably been bird watching since I joined the Junior Gould League and got "What Bird is That" for my birthday in 1967, but never seriously and never keeping count. Then, when I bought a camera a few years ago, birds seemed an obvious choice for a subject. So for the past few years I have been photographing birds, never seriously, but always on the look out for new ones that I haven't seen before.  I was already aware that Australia has over 800 species of birds and I guess I have been patiently, and sometimes impatiently, working to see as many of these as possible.

Tom's record is safe (well at least for the moment), however, I guess it has inspired me to at least be a little more systematic in keeping my list. It would be nice to know just how many birds I have seen, or in my case, photographed. So, inspired by Tom and his 9000 birds, this blog, fittingly called '9001 Birds' is my record or list of birds. I will number them as I go, and also keep a record of how many of these are Australian birds.