My first visit to Morwell N.P. took place on Sunday 12 April 1999,
0930-1130. (A much pleasanter way to spend the morning than the
alternative, staffing a car-trial control for the WIN TV Rally in the
Valley!)
When I arrived at the carpark, there was a female Swamp Wallaby
pottering about by the picnic area; she was fairly tame and permitted an
approach to within 10 ft. Pity the light wasnt good enough for a photo.
Another was seen further up the gully.
The best birds were along the gully floor, in a dense undergrowth of
Coprosma quadrifida and far too much Pittosporum undulatum (I believe
it's not indigenous anywhere west of Glenaladale). The Nature Trail
followed the valley and then wound uphill into Messmate woodland with
bracken - fewer birds here. An interesting walk - I hope to visit it
again before too long.
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos - flock of 6
Crimson Rosellas - very numerous. Visitors were feeding them
sunflower seeds at the picnic area attracting about 8 adults and 4
immatures. The birds would take seed from the hand of an immobile human
seated at a table, where the birds could walk up along the table.
Fantailed Cuckoos heard calling - both trill and fife-like whistle(See
other posting)
Laughing Kookaburras - 2 birds hanging around picnic area
Superb Lyrebird - a female crossed the path in front of me and moved
into the undergrowth and started digging vigorously among fallen timber.
Frightened by noisy humans and flew away across creek.
Blackbirds
Yellow Robins
Golden Whistlers - 3 or 4 birds singing strongly. One male seen.
Grey Shrike-Thrush - winter call heard; one seen in Cherry Ballart on
ridge
Willy Wagtail on firebreak
Superb Blue Wrens
Brown Warbler - very confusingly spent a lot of time on the ground
among fallen brushwood like a Scrubwren! Then flew up into Coprosma bush
where it could be seen.
White-browed Scrubwrens
Brown Thornbills - numerous
Striated Thornbills - one party, c 6 birds, near carpark.
White-throated Treecreeper - one seen, several heard
Red Wattlebird - treetops near entrance
Lewin Honeyeater in undergrowth - one seen, several heard
Magpies in firebreak and picnic area
Little Ravens overhead
Other birds seen during afternoon along forest roads en route to Bulga
NP nearby included Pied Currawongs and Brush Bronzewings. We also saw a
Water Skink and a sizeable unidentified snake. Bulga itself was a
disappointment from the bird aspect - only Brown Thornbills and a
White-throated Treecreeper(Saturday afternoon in school holidays, very
crowded) but a definite Forest Raven flew overhead - call was
unmistakeable.
Anthea Fleming in Melbourne
To unsubscribe from this list, please send a message to
Include ONLY "unsubscribe birding-aus" in the message body (without the
quotes)
|
