As you get older, your partner says you mustn’t bird watch when driving. But I think you can still look at birds strutting on the road, or working on the grassy verges. During September, I recorded the road birds within about 10 kms of the Angair twin cities. Here are a few numbers.
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Around 65% of the birds are Magpies, 20% are Little Ravens (almost all local ravens are Little Ravens), and around 10% are Wood Ducks
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Others included Magpie-larks, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Grey Shrike-thrushes and a weird highlight: a group of Shelduck ducklings on Forest Road
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In total: 128 birds in 255 kms, or around one bird every two kms
Immature Magpie
Little Raven
Not too exciting, and I think this means you have to stop the car, and walk out into the bush with the binoculars! Or (if no other traffic) stand well tucked into the road verge and look above the road level.
James Orton
Photos: Katie Pahlow