50 [page number] 
[28.9.47] flew hastily for cover off the road into the tussocks ,a 
BROWN HAWK sat on a fence-post but was not long left in 
peace for it was soon mobbed by a pair of excited 
BANDED SPUR-WINGED PLOVERS, a pair of MOUNTAIN DUCK had three 
chicks with them, making off at high speed, the hen 
with the chicks, the cock, a much larger bird bringing 
up the rear. A flock of YELLOW-TAILED THORNBILLS flew 
up from the road, yellow flashing, as they made for 
a young gum plantation. A HERON and a pair 
of WHITE-FRONTED CHATS completed our list on the 
way out. 
Turkeith has a wonderful garden which 
was alive with birds - GOLDFINCHES being everywhere, 
the air full of their sweet twittering. A BLACKBIRD 
plumped on the lawn, tail up. The most 
noticeable birds however were a pair of RESTLESS 
f l ycatchers FLYCATCHERS hovering over the lawn and 
diving down to the ground. Their action was 
quite different to the WILLIE-WAGTAIL (which we saw 
just outside the garden, one bird riding on a 
sheep's back) for they rose from the ground, hovered, 
and dived down. Only once did we see one 
perched on a look-out. Their excited grating 
call was uttered as they hovered just before 
they darted for an insect -a kind of Tally ho! 
