Awesome birding at Flynn Road

I spent Saturday morning bird-watching with the BAWA crew at Flynn Road (The Lakes).  I added seven birds to my life list, taking the total to 184.  Here are the new additions:

• Elegant Parrot (Neophema elegans);
• Dusky Woodswallow (Artamus cyanopterus);
• Yellow-plumed Honeyeater (Lichenostomus ornatus);
• Crested (Western) Shrike-tit (Falcunculus leucogaster);
• Restless Flycatcher (Myiagra inquieta);
• Varied Sittella (Daphoenositta chrysoptera);
• Hooded Robin (Melanodryas cucullata).

It rained on and off for most of the morning but it was definitely worth it.  While we could only locate a female Hooded Robin, close examination of the photographs confirmed it's identity.  This means I have now seen all five robins that frequent the south-west of Australia.  The Crested Shrike-tit and the Restless Flycatcher were seen in close proximity near the spot we stopped for morning tea.  With the assistance of Steve I located a group of Varied Sittellas working the bark of a tree over and got some very good views (and some photos that, while not brilliant, confirm the identity).

Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo

Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo (Chalcites basalis, Karratha, WA, Australia).

New to the list

Over the last week or so I have added three new birds to my life-list:

• Rufous Treecreeper (Climacteris rufa) - seen on the Wungong/Bungendore BirdsWA walk - thanks to those who found it;
• Western Thornbill (Acanthiza inornata) - I have seen these before but I can now reliably identify them thanks to John Graff;
• Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo (Chalcites basalis) - I found a single bird on the beach at Karratha - it was either exhausted or hiding from birds of prey as it was content to let me approach quite close.

This take the life list to 177 - my aim is to pass 200 by the end of the year.