Rufous Scrub-birds and Border Ranges National Park

Rufous Scrub-bird

I finally managed to achieve a long-standing aim to photograph a Rufous Scrub-bird. I found a vocal pair with a territory spanning a walking track in Border Ranges National Park during a two-day visit this week. While the male remained pretty well secreted, the female crossed the track occasionally. Over many hours I managed a few images but in the overcast gloomy conditions, they were not as sharp as I would like. Still, with this species, I'm not complaining.

Rufous Scrub-bird

I concentrated on the same area I visited in 2012 at the same time of year, when I and Kathy Haydon saw six scrub-birds during a morning. Conditions were much drier this time and apart from this pair, I heard just two other single birds calling briefly. The bird in the image below was running; its short uplifted wings can be seen.

Rufous Scrub-bird

I was also interested to check out the status of Marbled Frogmouth in the upland rainforests of the Border Ranges. I found five birds with little effort at three sites – every place I looked – suggesting the birds are not uncommon in this higher, cooler habitat where Antarctic Beech is not uncommon. 

Marbled Frogmouth

Antarctic Beech

Sooty Owl was also noted. Other birds included Bassian Thrush and Paradise Riflebird. White-browed Scrub-wren was endearingly tame.

Paradise Riflebird

White-browed Scrubwren

On the way home I had singing Rufous Songlark at Rathdowney. Ebird list.

Rufous Songlark