Field report from the Western Downs
Last week I got back from a short visit to Roma (and surrounds) which was conspicuous only by the ticking of a new aerodrome, the baking dry heat of late spring, my discovery of Roma Recovery (sauna + cold plunge!) and the presence of a few repticks. Split shift for last few days (and nights) of a trip is always pretty gnarly to recover from – it took me most of the following week to get back to ‘normal’.
Ippy living and listing
Back home again the birding has been PUMPING. Ipswich is right next to the big hünd birding LGA in Queensland – Brisbane – but receives comparatively little attention. Not surprising really, given the difference in population size… there are a few standout birders on the Ipscene but it’s a big place with plenty of underbirded areas. Like our new home suburb of Woodend! Since moving in I have seen about 60 species in a month, mainly from the manor or the grounds. Most are what you’d expect in suburban SEQ although there have been some really nice birds so far. In the first week after moving in we had Black Falcon, Little Eagle and Boobook…
We are still learning the optimal path(s) for dog walks. A walk long enough for the little ones that can be truncated or extended easily with little fuss is perfect, and for our rescued rabbits an absence of other canids is preferred. I tried out a new extension early one morning this week and I was not prepared for the presence of an ULTRA… a COMMON BLACKBIRD was singing from an overgrown garden about 10 minutes walk from my house! This was surely a welcoming sign from the birding gods – they had blessed me with a FFI (first for Ippy). Crazily enough I found the first one for Brisbane about 10 years ago as well!
Later on that day I got a heads up from a new pal, César, that an Australian Painted Snipe was lurking at a wetland about half an hour from home. As it was a lifer for Jess we rolled out in the arvo the next day hoping to connect with the crepuscular crippler – our first Iptwitch! Happily the animal was sitting under her favourite bush and we had face-melting scope views from the road. The honourable Mick Drews rocked up for an Iptick and a chinwag shortly thereafter and it was awesome to see the Painted Snipe foraging for gribblies in the wetland. My ankles were annihilated by mozzies but that’s a story for another time…
Our back fence has taken shape and now with the yard secure, a little bit of rain on the way and a forecast drop in temps it is almost time to start planting a few photosynthesisers! J has drawn up a fantastic plan for the garden and we can’t wait to get started :^)
