Eastern Bristlebird

Ok I know, this little bird is not too exciting. Brown and nondescript. But it also very special.

It is an Eastern Bristlebird and is endangered. It is only found in a few pockets of bush in NSW, is very shy, reclusive and hard to see. The unbelievable news is that we found it.

 

My husband and I took a drive to Perpendicular Lighthouse near Jervis Bay in NSW on Easter Sunday. My friend, in the fantastic tradition of mad birders, told me to walk to the light house take the path along the cliffs and look to the left of the cliffs on the exact rocks overlooking the ocean AT sunset and the birds should pop out of the bush and say hi.

 

I eagerly did everything I was instructed to. Zero birds. There were 20 abseilers with ropes, hooks and water bottles hanging over the edge of the cliffs. Those secretive and cryptic birds were nowhere to be seen or heard. Truly there was no hope because there were also so many people walking around looking at the historic site (being the busiest long weekend of the year and all).

I was very disappointed because I don’t think I will be going to that neck of the woods again.

 

I tried hard, pointing my binoculars at Wattle birds, Wrens, and a Firetail with its Red eyebrows. Suddenly the ‘inadvertent birder’’, B, shouted excitedly. There it is!

Except it wasn’t. It was a little finch. In the Australian bush we a have a phenomenon that when there are a few birds usually there are others. I got my phone out and played the Bristlebird call. It shot at high speed out of the bush next to me. I was so excited that I threw my mobile onto the ground so that I could take a photo. The bird actually ran over my phone with its new cover and credit cards.

So here it is…… THE EASTERN BRISTLEBIRD

Done