BRUSH BRONZEWING Phaps elegans
There are plenty of pigeons and doves around Kilmore. This is one I do not see very often.
31/10/2019
28/10/2019
Rufoous Whistler
RUFOUS WHISTLER Pachycephala rufiventris
The Rufous Whistlers were very loud in the area along the Kilmore train line the other day. It was quite a dull day and I was a little surprised to hear and see them so busy.
This pair were flitting about and calling and calling. I could hear numbers of birds also calling , among them other whistlers.
Perhaps something was worrying them; a fox, an eagle, snake, perhaps me.
Despite all their singing, this pair, a male and female, would stop every now and then and sit quite still for a moment. then they would start their singing once again.
The Michael Morcombe Field Guide To Australian Birds describes the song as 'a long, loud, rapid succession of ringing notes, often 20 to 35 without pause, cheWIT-cheWIT-cheWit'
At the end of each sequence, one or both of the birds would finish their song with an upward inflection, a little like the call of aWhipbird
The male has a white bib outlined by the black stripe running from around his eye, and a bright rufous chest.
The female also has rufous chest, a little lighter in shade and without the bib. She also has dark streaks amongst the rufous colouring on her chest.
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Musk Duck
MUSK DUCK Biziura lobata
Musk ducks are not commonly sighted on the Hospital Reservoir in Kilmore. This fellow hs been around for a few days.
Musk ducks can be identified quite easily. They swim very low in the water. At first sight, with their heads held high, they look like a branch floating about. Often the male will give himself away by a loud plonking sound as he splashes the water with his feet or wings.
This is a male bird, a drake. It has a heavy, leathery looking protuberance which hangs down below the rather broad bill.
There was no sign of a female bird on the reservoir. The female is smaller and a little paler in colour, without the hanging bill of the male.
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