These shots were taken yesterday near Whyalla SA, in saltbush close to the ocean.
The first three are of the same bird, very noisy calling while flying from bush to bush. Last shot maybe a juvenile butcherbird of some description? Birds were a longway away and heavily cropped so not so clear.
The first one looks a lot like a Skylark to me, and the second an immature Grey Butcherbird. Definitely don't go on my ID's though, just having a crack
. Be interesting to see what the more learned think!
West Coast Tasmania
I suggest Brown Songlark for bird #1 and agree with Grey Butcherbird for bird #2
Peter
I agree with pacman.
The first bird is a male Brown Songlark, a species known for its loud metallic, almost electronic, call which you probably heard, Rick.
Thanks all, yes the call was very distinctive.
Will have to go and have a better look now.
Agreed. Brown Songlark and imm Grey Butchy. Oddly, I've seen very few Brown Songlarks since beginning birding in the mid-80s. I wonder why? LJ
Lorne, I havn't seen them before but saw two seperate birds 40km apart on the weekend so there may be a few around the Whyalla area. I will be back and forward that way for the next couple of months so will keep an eye out.
The Brown Songlark is a bird of the grasslands. They used to be seen sometimes at our place on the s.e. slopes of the Mt Lofty Ranges SA. Once the revegetation took over the landscape the Brown Songlarks have hardly ever been seen or heard. With our new neighbours having cats, bless their souls, they're even less likely to be present in adjacent paddocks.
Sad. Another need-for-conservation-now story. LJ
I guess there's good & bad news about revegetation being a factor in the disappearance of Brown Songlarks from my area. The area was cleared for grazing many years ago so the Brown Songlarks would have taken advantage of the much more open spaces. Now that a more natural vegetation structure exists, at least on our place, other bird species have taken their place.
The recent arrival of cats will probably impact on any Brown Songlarks that might still visit neighbouring paddocks.
Incidentally, not only Brown Songlarks numbers have declined as a result of our ecological restoration. For example, White-fronted Chat, Black-shouldered Kite & Australian Kestrel numbers have also been affected as these species prefer open grasslands for hunting.