Spotlighting
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| Male Plains Wanderer - difficult to see in grassland, even under spotlight |
Last week I was out with Peter Cosgrove on a bridwatching trip organised by Philip Maher and led by his colleague Robert Duncan. We looked around for honeyeaters, chats and waders in the late afternoon before driving over some grasslands looking for Plains-wanderers
Pedionomus torquatus with a spotlight. These birds are not nocturnal, but they are easier to see at night for during the day, they crouch when approached and become very difficult to see. At night they stand still when under a torchlight.
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| The female is brighter coloured with a distinct collar and rufous bib |
Other birds seen during the night trip were Banded Plover
Vanellus tricolor, Inland Dotterel
Charadrius australis, Stubble Quail
Coturnix pectoralis, Little Button-quail
Turnix velox and Australian Pratincole
Stltia isabella.
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| Stubble quail - female |
All in all, a very successful trip and thoroughly recommended for anyone who would like to experience a night out with the birds in the Riverina area of New south Wales.
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| Australian Pratincole |
