Bronzewing Birding Services: Wilby Bushland Reserve

Hopped out of bed very early this morning (as the predicted temperature is 40 degrees) to go to the Wilby Bushland Reserve, just 5 minutes walk from home.

The reserve was "going off" in spring with 50-60 species recorded at a time then. It seems to be a bit more quiet now with the regular resident species around and also a couple of surprises.

A big highlight for the morning was more Buff-banded Rails (above). I saw one last week and thought it was just a bit of luck, a fluke I saw it passing through. But this morning I actually saw 2, and watched one for quite some time (and took a bad picture). There is quite a lot of long grass around the reserve with water still in drains, ditches and along the Sandy Creek, as well as the small wetlands (below) near the race track so I guess there is suitable habitat around.

The Dollarbird which seems to have made this area home for the summer was also seen again. Seven Cockatiels, very scarce this year (compared to previous years during the drought) was a nice surprise too. Two Hardhead were also seen, probably flying to Dowdle Swamp to the north. This is my first record for this species in Wilby.

The usual grassland species, Stubble Quail, Brown Songlark, Australasian Pipit and Horsfield's Bushlark were also found again in the paddock behind the race track (above).

Some other resident and regularly seen species are pictured below.

Female Red-rumped Parrot. This species is in small flocks now with a few young birds joining them.

A White-winged Chough nesting in a Grey Box at the old cemetery. There are 3 groups of Choughs in the bushland reserve.

Pied Butcherbird, which has my favourite birdsong.

Grey Shrike-thrush are present all year, a pair or two remain over summer. Numbers increase in autumn and winter when birds move out from forests and woodlands to the south.