Joys and Sorrows od Birding

As perhaps Australia's most [in]famous bushranger [for which read highwayman], Ned Kelly, reputedly uttered as the hangman fitted the noose around his neck, "Such is life". Birding has its own ups and downs; its highs and lows.


Last week Fay and I had some hopes of having sighted a pair of juvenile Star Finch Neochmia ruficauda. Having seen the little creatures in the morning, we returned later that afternoon.

En route we had the good fortune of seeing a Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus fly low over the adjoining Hoop Pine Araucaria cunninghamii before alighting atop a telegraph pole.


Sadly, we found no further signs of the supposed Star Finch that day. We return the following day and while we had crippling views of Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis the alleged Star Finch again failed o put in an appearance BUT we did see a reasonable flock of Red-browed Finch Neochmia temporalis which leads us to suspect that the two youngsters we first observed are in fact juveniles of this species; we didn't see the tell-tale red rump and tail region.


As we drove away we also had good views of a Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys and a male Variegated Fairy-wren Malurus lamberti.


But, isn't that birding! One day you're up, the next you're wallowing in the depths of despair.