Greetings to all,
I have a couple of birding logistics questions concerning my Dec.-Jan. trip
to Australia with my wife, Susan, and her parents:
1. We will be getting into Sydney late on the night of 12/21. Can anyone
recommend a hotel/motel relatively close to the airport?
2. For the first couple of days, we will be birding in the Sydney area
(we have the Roberts guide). On Dec. 24, we will likely be in the
Richmond-Windsor area, birding the Hawkesbury Swamps. Any advice on
"not-to-miss" spots or sites that are not covered in Roberts? Anyone
going to be birding that area on the 24th who wouldn't mind company?
3. After birding with the Mahers on the 30th, we will likely head
to Chiltern State Forest on the 31st, and then head south toward
Melbourne. Questions: Someone mentioned birding in Killawarra Forest--
where is it relative to Chiltern SF? Can anyone recommend a place to
stay along the Hume Highway somewhere between Wangaratta and Melbourne?
Since it's Dec. 31, it might be nice to have a place reserved ahead of
time. Lawrie has mentioned some good birding sites (though he has not
talked about specifics...yet) in the Bendigo area. Might it be more
profitable (bird-wise) for us to go from Deniliquin through Echuca and
Bendigo on our way to Melbourne rather than going east to Albury? That
is, are Bendigo (et al.) sites likely to be more productive (relative
to things that we'll likely see with the Mahers) than Chiltern (and
possibly Killawarra)?
4. It looks like 1/1/98 is going to be the only day that we can visit
Werribee. Will we be able to gain access to the sewage farm on Jan. 1?
Thomas & Thomas mention that it is a private area and that "you really
need to go in with someone who has a permit....or.....make your own
arrangements well in advance." Can anyone offer any help or advice?
Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.
Good luck to all participating in the Twitchathon this coming weekend.
Last Sunday, Susan & I did a "Big Sit" from the deck of our house and
recorded 51 species (3 down from last year).
....Jim
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James D. Hengeveld Biology Dept.
Bloomington, Indiana 47405 Indiana University
812: 855-5353
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