Red-chested Button-quail Joy

It took four days, 27 hours of driving, approximately 2400 kilometres travelled, and I have finally added a new Life Bird to my Aussie list. The Red-chested Button-quail is my first Lifer since the plague came to Oz. Once again, my old friend Robert Shore alerted, and encouraged, me to go after a bird. Also, once again, my buddy, James Cornelious went with me. Team Troopi got RCBQ.

     

James and I left Lara at 9:20am Sunday and drove to Robert and Judy Shore’s home in Parkes, NSW arriving there about 6:30pm. That’s over 750 kilometres and more than 9 “Troopi hours.” To save diesel, I usually drive about 95kph and that does make for longer travel times than Google maps estimates. 

We had a lovely visit with the Shores. Then went to sleep fairly early and were up and on the road by 6am. We arrived on Cattle Lane in Warrah Ridge, NSW by 11am (not exactly ideal Button-quail birding time). Yet still, within only about ten minutes we had our first bird. Joy. 

We walked up and down the shoulders of that road and saw, or flushed, about a dozen birds including a young bird that somehow gotten tangled in the brush. James retrieved it and helped it on its way safely back into the scrub. 

     

Mid-afternoon, we checked into the nice little Sunflower Motel in Quirindi. I was as exhausted as I have ever been. Walking up and down the road shoulders as well as the long travels had taken its toll. Without exaggeration, I was staggering like a drunk person when I walked up to the reception desk. I could not even remember my mobile number (I am still on daily steroid meds and dealing with the effects of those and the sarcoid symptoms that they treat. Fatigue is a part of all that crap). 

I was able to take about a 2-hour nap in the motel before we went back over to the Cattle Lane site (only about 20 minutes away) around 7:30pm. We ran into friends Jeff Jones and Bruce Watts who were also birding there. The late arvo light was beautiful under the cloudy skies as we waited for darkness to look for the RCBQ’s. We hoped to see them out more in the open and get some photos. 

     

We were successful. We had two particularly cooperative birds (and thank you Jeff for holding the torch as we photographed one of them). After we had taken a few photos, we left them be. Those little birds owed me nothing more. I had seen them well (and even had photos). I will no longer refer to that family of birds as “Bucking-futton-quail.” 

The next morning, we drove to West Wyalong, NSW and spent the night. We left there at 6am, arriving back in Lara, VIC early yesterday afternoon. I was riding that “Lifer High” that I have so often written about. It reverberates through me for days. It is a lovely feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction. I am tired and still dealing with all of the physical (and mental/emotional) issues that have vexed me for the last months, but I have a new Lifer. I am truly not as attached to the “number” anymore, but of course I do keep track and RCBQ was number 754 on my Aussie list. I am grateful. 

Btw, John Beaufoy Publishing has committed to publishing the sequel to my book. It is tentatively titled, “More Australian Birding Tales (Life After An Australian Birding Year).” I will be writing a lot more about this soonish. I write therefore I am. I share therefore its real. Sending love…