My goodness, Round Hill is becoming very busy these days. Louise and I
literally followed in Nick's, John's and Murray's footsteps as their
footprints and tyre tracks were still drying when we arrived last Tuesday
(05OCT99)afternoon. Most of the water was gone by then thank goodness for us
two wheel drivers. We camped at the Whooey Tank as the Wheat Paddock road still
had lake sized puddles inhibiting access to the usual campsite. The lads must
have had a torrid time judging by the ruts in the road from Lake Cargelligo.
Thank goodness vehicles over 40 tonnes are currently prohibited by the weight
restriction on the Booberoi Creek bridge otherwise they'd have been up to their
car rooves in mud had the usual semis been allowed through.
We stayed for 3 full days and saw 66 species under absolutely glorious
conditions - warm days under virtually clear blue skies. We didn't find the
Wheat Paddock and surrounds as productive as the Whooey Tank and environs. We
explored up the hillside from the tank, north east along the lower track to the
RH Euabalong road, south west along the track to the RH Lake Cargelligo road
and in the mallee to the south east of the tank. We saw the majority of species
noted by Nick and John but our heads weren't always in the air as much after
the first day. The rains have produced thick carpets of grass and Paterson's
Curse (Salvation Jane) in some places which makes it hard to observe ahead.
Even more so as the growth runs alongside the track from the tank to the
Euabalong road. I am always on the look out for snakes and was extremely
fortunate to note a thick brownish coloured snake with it's head hidden in the
growth in the middle of the track and the remainder of it's body hidden!
in the growth on the right. It was only about three meters in front of me as I
stood stock still. It very slowly moved across the track and wouldn't have been
more than half a meter in length. The most noticeable feature was that it's
tail didn't taper as one expects a snake's to do. This went from a thick body
to about a pencil width extremity of about 4 centimetres length. I suspect a
Death Adder and the realisation that had I not stopped earlier to view
something, my "life" list might not have had a chance to expand in the future.
From then on we were even more cautious than before.
Apart from the above surprise, the highlights for us were :
. 3 different species of Woodswallows roosting together on consequtive days.
Little, White-browed and White Breasted the first day and Little, White-browed
and Masked the next day. The Little Woodswallows produced the only tick of the
trip for me
. A small flock of Crimson Chats overhead and more located below where the
Woodswallows were roosting in dead trees and the mallee along what we called
"Woodswallow Straight". This is the left hand side of the road coming down from
Round Hill to the junction of the road from Lake Cargelligo. where there are
several dead trees.
. The surprise of seeing 3 Pacific Black Ducks taking off from a stretch of run
off water beside the road a few metres along the Mount Hope road from the above
junction. Who expects to see Ducks at Round Hill ?
. Observing a Spotted Bowerbird at it's bower and watching it collect and add
items to it.
. Seeing Blue Bonnets at Round Hill for the first time. In the past one has
always used the excuse to visit the Mt Hope pub to see these and flocks of
Major Mitchells enroute. We also saw at least 2 Major Mitchells at Round Hill,
so no visits to the pub this time.
. Sitting at dusk at the "Quarry" waterhole just in from the Lake Cargelligo
road on the Whooey Tank track to watch birds come into drink. Hearing loud
footsteps and thinking another birdo was approaching down the track, only to
have a long neck appear around the corner of the bush and for us to be surveyed
by a very wary young Emu. It and it's 8 siblings plus parent took off like
rockets leaving two surprised birdos with high levels of adrenalin coursing
through their bodies. I suspect they (the emus) are more wary than normal as we
sighted a recently dead one next to the Whooey Tank track near the Euabalong
Road entrance. With all the good feed around one can only suspect foul play by
human hand (although it was still in the unapproachable state and this is a
surmisson on my part.)
. Watching a very harassed male Crested Bellbird calling, surrounded by 7 male
and 1 female White-winged Trillers in the one dead tree. It finally gave up
when a Spotted Bowerbird joined in.
We didn't hear any Gilberts or Red Lored Whistlers at all. A large grey
Whistler was observed in the mallee near the "Quarry" but the bird's head and
upper body was obscured by foliage and we didn't achieve a better sighting
before it flew away from us. Gilbert's have responded to my "squeaking"
previously but this time I could only attract Rufous Whistlers.
Shy Heathwrens were observed everyday in the mallee and in some cases were not
shy at all. There was a lot of "emu" bush in blossom which attracted the Black
Honeyeaters, Yellow-plumed Honeyeaters, White-fronted Honeyeaters and
White-eared Honeyeaters. The Black Honeyeaters were also observed apparently
feeding amongst the Callitris trees on several occasions.
The disappointment for me was that no Pied Honeyeaters were sighted nor were we
able to find Orange Chats at "Chat Corner" or the saltbush (?) plantation
further down the road to Round Hill. Only two raptors were seen at Round Hill,
a Black Shouldered Kite and a Brown Falcon.
A great trip all round and Louise came away from her first Round Hill trip with
eight new ticks.
Clive Meadows
Faulconbridge NSW.
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