birding-aus
Hi Aus Birders,
Sorry my last message of a week last Wednesday has only
just arrived but had problems. I have only just managed to access my
messages this evening - something to do with the fact that my modem is
analogue & your phone lines - except dedicated fax lines are all digital.
Still, that seems to have been sorted out now.
We have had to drastically alter our itinerary since we have been caught up
in the rain storms around Coffs Harbour & then today managed to get a
puncture & ruin a tyre on the way up to Gloucester Tops - which we never
made. I seem doomed to miss the Rufous Scrub Bird - I missed it at
Lammington 2 years ago & didn't even get within 12km. of it today.
The first few days were brilliant - We saw all we expected at
Phillip Island and picked up Swamp Harrier and Aus. Hobby on our way down
there. It wasn't nearly as bad as I had been told it would be. We didn't go
to Penguin Parade however as we saw the Penguins at the Nobbies. We were
particularly pleased to see 7 Hooded Plover at Cape Wollami beach and also
a White-fronted Chat. Pacific Gull & Black faced Shag were no trouble - all
were lifers so we were pretty pleased..
On the Friday we Drove from Phillip Island to Goulburn stopping off at
Yellingbo State Nature Reserve where a very kind person put us in contact
with the Helmeted Honeyeaters. We also stopped at a couple of other parts
of the Reserve and saw - for us some great birds - Fuscous & Brown-headed
Honeyeaters, Yelow Robin & Golden Whistlers to name a few.Thanks to Anthea
for suggesting that we put this site in our Itinerary. Further along the
road we Had our first Wedge-tailed Eagle and later a Little Eagle landed in
a roadside tree long enough for us to be pretty sure of what it was and
then obligingly circled round so that we could clinch the identification.
Saturday - An early start got us to Barren Grounds by about 8.00am
and we parked in the wrong place - right at the start of the track. We then
walked up the hill to the main car park and had 3 Yellow-tailed Black
Cockatoos land in a tree a few yards away - magnificent birds - they then
flew down to drink in a puddle about 20 yards further up the track - giving
superb views. We walked out across the heath picking up Beautiful Firetails
& S. Emu Wrens but no sign of the Ground Parrots. On the way back Helen saw
a bird run from the path back into the scrub - I walked round the bush & it
popped out to give Barry a short but superb view- Eastern Bristlebird..
Back at the main car park we had what we decided must be a Brush Wattlebird
as it had dark - not red eyes. Later we noted that Pizzey lumps Brush &
Little together. Since then we have seen several & all appear to have dark
eyes!!!! Any comments please?
That evening we returned to the top Car Park and almost immediately
saw the Eastern Bristlebird and despite seeing several more Emu Wrens did
not make contact with the Ground Parrots - at least two of us had seen them
before - in Queensland.
Sunday was a mega day for all of us - the Wollongong Pelagic - I am
sure that Tony has sent in a report - thanks to him and many other
Aus-birders who were so friendly to us and really put themselves out to get
us on to the birds & identify them. The sea-sickness pills did their
work!!. A memorable day.
Then the rains came.................
To be continued...
Cheers,
Chris Padley.
We now have to try and catch up a bit so we are going to stay
N. of Sydney & go to Windsor, and Glen Davis before heading W. to join up
with Phil Maher at Deniliquin early next week.
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