Common Bronzewing

Common Bronzewing, Phaps chalcoptera.

 

This colourful and rather portly bird is the Common Bronzewing. Despite its name – it isn’t that common. In fact if you want to get a look at one of these one of the best ways is to cruise along the Stuart Highway north of town in the last hour before sunset. Either that or head out to Kunoth Bore at sunset and you should find plenty coming in for an evening drink at the waterhole.

It’s easy to pick from our other two common pigeons because it doesn’t have the crest of the Spinifex and Crested Pigeons. I photographed this bloke at King’s Canyon and he was easy to find there by the mesmerising, “ooom- oom-oom-oom”, sound that was booming out across Kestrel Falls.

Sightings this week: 

-          Rainbow Lorikeet has been seen in town and we can only hope that it is a lone bird as this is a species which has aggressively colonised other parts of the country

-          Channel-billed Cuckoos, juveniles of this species seem to be turning up everywhere! This points up to a few late hatchlings finally making it out of the nest and making a nuisance of themselves until they are ready to head north for the dry season

-          Red-capped Robins have been a bit more obvious with the onset of the cooler weather. There have been several sightings in parks and gardens right in the middle of Alice

-          Orange Chats have resurfaced at the sewage ponds and are being reported in large flocks to the south of Alice

-          Eastern Koel an unconfirmed sighting of this species has keen birdos on their toes – anyone out there got photos of this bird in Alice? It could be a first folks!

Happy Birding!