Driving home form work today I noticed three Dollarbirds perched together on powerlines at Buchanan. Dollarbirds (Eurystomus orientalis) are another common but migratory species that visits the Hunter Valley to breed in Spring time every year. They travel right down the east coast of Australia every year, and stay until Autumn. They are thought to overwinter in Papua New Guinea and parts further north.
Dollarbirds are usually very conspicuous. They tend to perch in high, open places such as the tops of dead trees and powerlines. They launch swooping flights from these perches to catch insects on the wing, and are often heard before being seen because of their harsh "grackling" call. They are quite gaudy if seen at close quarters, but are easily recognised when flying, even at a distance, by the prominent "silver dollar" marking on the underside of each wing.
It's probably an indicator that I don't spend as much time outside as I would like to, but these are the first Dollarbirds I have observed in Spring 2014.
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