RED-CHESTED BUTTONQUAIL

Photographed on The Postman's Track, Daybook, Queensland, November 2017

1225                RED-CHESTED BUTTONQUAIL             Turnix pyrrhothorax

AUSTRALIA                    718

Endemic to Australia; widespread though uncommon in NSW, Queensland, northern WA, and NT; classified as vulnerable in Victoria. Habitat is dense grasslands, and open, grassy woodlands of acacia, Red River Gums and Black Box; also in crops and weedy fields with dense cover.

Photographed near Willow Tree, NSW December 2020

BLACK-BREASTED BUTTONQUAIL

Photographed at Noosa Heads National Park, Queensland, November 2017

1224                   BLACK-BREASTED BUTTONQUAIL          Turnix melanogaster

AUSTRALIAN BIRDS                 717

Also known as Black-fronted Buttonquail. Rare bird, endemic to eastern Australia, usually in rainforest, rated as near threatened. Found from Harvey Bay south to ne corner of NSW

COOK'S SWIFT

Photographed Christmas Island, December 2016

 1223              COOK'S SWIFT                  Apus cooki 

AUSTRALIA                      716                 

Breeds in limestone caves in Thailand, Myanmar and Indochina; lays 2-3 eggs on cliff returning to same site each year.

EYREAN GRASSWREN

Photographed on the Strzelecki Track (Art Baker Lookout), August 2017

1222              EYREAN GRASSWREN                Amytornis goyderi      

AUSTRALIA                715

Found in clumps of cane grass on dunes. 14-16.5 cm. Simpson/Strzelecki Deserts in far sw Q, far se NT. Locally common, sedentary, locally nomadic.

BLACK-EARED MINER

Photographed at Gluepot, South Australia, August 2017

1221                  BLACK-EARED MINER                 Manorina melanotis 

AUSTRALIA               714

Restricted to large blocks of intact mallee in se Aust; population centred on Gluepot Reserve (SA). 26 mm. Very rare and were predicted to become extinct through interbreeding with Yellow-throated miner but may be holding their own.

RED-LORED WHISTLER

Photographed in Murray-Sunset National Park, August 2017

1220                RED-LORED WHISTLER                Pachycephala rufogularis

AUSTRALIA               713

Found in low, patchy mallee/heath/spinifex; stunted mallee on sandhills; cypress pines; broom bush. 19-22 cm. Inland se Aust.: from Round Hill NR, Cocoparra NP, to nw Vic, Big Desert NP-Sunset Country, occasionally to Hattah/Kulkyne NP; w. to Murray mallee of e. SA. Rare, local.

STRIATED GRASSWREN

Photographed in Murray-Sunset National Park, August 2017

1219                   STRIATED GRASSWREN                Amytornis striatus 

AUSTRALIA               712

Found in spinifex, with mallee, acacias, other inane scrubs, coastal scrubs in WA. 14.5-19.5 cm. Four subspecies recognised: oweni, whitei, rowleyi and striatus. Striatus found in Murray mallee.

NORTHERN SHOVELER

Photographed at Tilley Swamp, South Australia, July 2017

1218                NORTHERN SHOVELER               Anas clypeata   

AUSTRALIA             711

Breeds in northern Eurasia and North America; winters s. to Thailand, Philippines; infrequent vagrant to Australia but found in most states. Wing 239-249 mm; bill 62-72 mm.

NOTE: Long range shot as bird was on private property with no access. 

SOUTH ISLAND PIED OYSTERCATCHER

Photographed at Stockyard Point, Victoria, June 2017

(*  1199)                    SOUTH ISLAND PIED OYSTERCATCHER             Haematopus finschi 

AUSTRALIA                 710

Often referred to as SIPO. A vagrant from NZ occasionally recorded on e coast of Aust; seven records on east coast. 

LITTLE STINT

Photographed at Stockyard Point, Victoria, June 2017

1140                  LITTLE STINT              Calidris minuta

AUSTRALIA              109

Found on tidal mudflats, salt marshes, salt fields, muddy margins of freshwater and saline wetlands, sewerage ponds. 12-14 cm. Breeds in Arctic Eurasia; winters Europe, s Asia; vagrant Japan, Brunei, PNG. Summer vagrant to Australia, records NT, SA, Vic and NSW.

GREY DUCK

Photographed at Miranda, New Zealand, June 2017

(*  142)                   GREY DUCK             Anas superciliosa

NEW ZEALAND                 85

Also known as Pacific Black Duck in Australia. 55 cm. Very rare native, mainly in remote wetlands, including forest lakes and rivers, along west of South Island and north and central east of North Island.

RED KNOT

Photographed at Miranda, New Zealand, June 2017

(*  538)                  RED KNOT               Calidris canutus 

NEW ZEALAND             84

Breeds in Holistic; migrates to tropics and Southern Hemisphere; second most common migrant wader to New Zealand estuaries, c. 30,000 birds. Favours north and western estuaries. 24 cm.