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My wife and myself made a trip to over the
Easter/Anzac period to South West Queensland. Primary target birds
were Hall's Babbler and Gibber Chat. However, the plan was to see what
else we could see birdwise and to travel back to the coast and see family
and friends.
The route was Central Coast, Denman*, Dubbo,
Bourke, Bowra (Cunnamulla)*, Eulo, Thargomindah,
Noccundra*, Cunnamulla, St George*, Dalby, Kingaroy*, Maroochydore*, Coff
Harbour*
* Stayed.
Highlights of the trip
- Bourke - Red -tailed Black Cockatoo feeding in
white cedars near our motel and along the Darling River.
- 35 kms north of Bourke- a flock of 50+ Major
Mitchell Cockatoos hassling a Whistling Kite. What a fantastic
sight!
- Bowra - David Geering wrote about his trip to
Bowra some time ago on birding -aus. I'd endorsed every word that
David wrote. It is a terrific place to go birding and Julie and Ian
make you very welcome. We stayed in the cottage which is very comfortable
and made a great decision to get Julie to supply lunch and dinner.
The meals were just great.
There is a artificial lake near the homestead which
attracts a lot of bird life and even through the property is drought ravaged
(please excuse the cliche but no other words are adequate), there are plenty of
birds in the wide variety of habit on the property. I think Bowra may have got
some rain over the Anzac weekend.
Birding highlights were Hall's Babbler (as well as Chestnut and Grey crowned), Bourke's
Parrot, White-browed Treecreeper, Crested Bellbird, Southern Whiteface,
Mulga Parrot, Mallee Ringneck, Red-winged Parrot, Major Mitchell Cockatoo,
Hooded Robin, Black Honeyeater and the Hobby hunting around the
cottage. We saw 55 species without a lot of effort. The bird list for
the place is very impressive.
- Noccundra - Gibber Chat 25 km SW and Bourke's
Parrot 22 km sw and a few Km NE.
The Gibber Chat was seen perched on the top
of a drain near the edge of the road. I saw it well although briefly in the
upright pose as shown in Pizzey and Knight with sandy coloured breast
graduating to a yellowy face. I applied the brakes and came to a halt in a
cloud of dust which swept across the Chat's position. When the dust
cleared no Chat. Despite spending several hours at this site over that
afternoon and the next morning, it was not sighted again. Very
frustrating!!.
- Cunnamulla - Black Breasted Buzzard near turn off
to St George.
- Bunya Mountains - What a fantastic place !! .
Nothing special in terms of birds - the usual rainforest species:
Satin Bowerbird, Brown and Topknot Pigeons, Catbird , Yellow-throated
Scrubwren etc. Unfortunately it was wall to wall people but it is our
list of "must go back to places". Checked out the Thomas and Thomas tree for
the Sooty Owl. Of course no but still of interest.
- Checked out the T & T site at Yarraman for
Black-breasted Button Quail. Plenty of fresh platelets but no birds. My
experience would suggest Inskip Point is a more
reliable site.
Traveled a touch over 4,000 km and had a great
time.
Allan
Allan
Benson
Ourimbah
NSW
43627189
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