The infrequently-mown grass beside Hi-Fert provides a buffet for Double-barred and Red-browed finches. Today they were joined by a flock of Chestnut-breasted. The Chestnut-breasted Mannikin or Chestnut-breasted Munia (Lonchura castaneothorax) can form flocks of several hundred birds - this group were a paltry twenty or so, but good to see them there.John Gould wrote of it:
“I had not the good fourtune to meet with this bird in a state of nature, but I have been informed that it frequents reed beds bordering the banks of rivers and lagoons on the eastern coast, and that it much resembles the Bearded Tit Panurus biarmicus, of Europe in the alertness with which it passes up and down the upright stems of reeds, from the lower part to the very top, a habit for which the lengthened and curved form of its claws seem well adapted."
Marj,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the name drop in your blog :)
I found your Mannikans this morning along the Hi-fert fence. Counted 17 in amng a group of Red-browed Firetails. Tough to get close to. I was on my belly, crawling to about 10 metres but still they are so small I barely got an ID shot. :)
I had the cattle dogs with me to round them up and hold them against the fence!
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