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From: "Ricki Coughlan" <>
To: "birding aus" <>
Subject: Heathcote trail
Date: Sat, 17 Jul 2004 18:57:35 +1000
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I went birding on the Heathcote - Uloola Falls trail this morning, via =
Karloo Pool. I didn't go all the way to Uloola Falls, as I had other =
engagements, but this would have to be one of the most beautiful walks =
along sandstone country in the Royal National Park. I haven't walked =
this trail since the 1980's, having concentrated on trails nearer the =
coast since then. A number of birders had remarked to me that =
Rockwarblers no longer frequent the area since the 1994 fire
devastation =
and I must admit that I was somewhat eager to test that claim. I'd also
=
hoped to catch up to some Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters which were reported
=
as being on the trail a couple of months ago on this list.
I proceeded through an area which I felt was a little slow on =
regeneration for the first few hundred meters, but gradually the trail =
showed increasing signs of a return to normality. The bush was alive =
with Eastern Spinebills, New-Holland Honeyeaters, Little Wattlebirds, =
Yellow-faced Honeyeaters and the odd Noisy Miner, Red Wattlebird and =
Rainbow Lorikeet, all taking advantage of the flowering Eucalypts =
(haemastoma and paniculata - some piperita appeared to be flowering =
early too) as well as the Banksias (ericafolia, spinulosa, =
integrifolia), Hakeas, Leptosperms, Acacia and lovely red Grevilleas =
(speciosa). Also abundant were Brown and to a lesser extent Striated =
Thornbills. Decorating the sides of the trail were the usual supply of =
White-browed Scrubwrens and Superb Fairy-wrens (all still in eclipse =
plumage in these parts). Spotted Pardalotes were really active and =
abundant, providing plenty of delight as they foraged much lower than =
usual and approached me quite fearlessly, as they do. One of these =
fellows flew up from the side of the trail as I approached and I then =
realised that his nesting hole was in the side of the trail about 10cm =
from my foot and no higher than my ankle. The bank on the trail-side
was =
not much higher. As I crouched to make certain of my observation, the =
female emerged from the burrow. I quickly moved on, not wishing to =
disturb their extremely optimistic nesting activities but sadly
noticed, =
as I did so, that on the direct other side of the trail, about a meter =
away, a mountain bike tyre had scrubbed down the side of the trail
bank. =
I can't get the thought out of my head that these small, beautiful and =
harmless fellows face the alarming possibility of entombment in their =
nest hole due to the selfishness and ignorance of some humans.
Also heard on the trail was a couple of White-eared Honeyeater calls, =
though none were seen, nor were any of the Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters. =
I'm a little surprised that they weren't there as they frequent very =
similar bush not far away in the Heathcote National Park. Perhaps one
of =
the prevalent species excludes them. I know that YTH's generally =
dominate where they are found but, unless my memory is faulty, I don't =
recall finding many Little Wattlebirds sympatric to YTH's. Perhaps then
=
the LW's exclude YTH's?
I am pleased to inform those who are lamenting the loss of Rockwarblers
=
on this trail that they should lament no more. I heard five individuals
=
calling at different locations on the trail side of the valley and =
several calls coming from the hillside on the other side of the valley.
=
I observed four individuals as well, approaching one to within half a =
meter. These carefree and amiable birds are certainly a pleasure to =
share a little time with as they scamper about, swinging their body to =
and fro and making their little "kissing" call while foraging. My
advice =
to those who are having trouble spotting these birds is to find a site =
where Rockwarblers frequent or visit with someone familiar with their =
calls and spend some time learning those calls. Rockwarblers then
become =
much easier to find. Of course this is true for all birds but somehow, =
when a Rockwarbler makes its unmistakable call, it gradually asserts =
itself on your consciousness and then you find yourself charging to the
=
source of the call to catch a glimpse of these fellows.
Other delights of the day included reacquainting myself with the =
beautiful Karloo Pool and Kangaroo Creek, coming face to face, almost =
literally, with a Swamp Wallaby (who was as stunned as I was), plenty
of =
wildflowers blooming (Patersonia, Hibertia, etc.) and very frequently =
finding myself amid mixed feeding flocks of small insectivores. All in =
all, a great stroll in some charming bushland. Of course this trail is =
no secret, but I'd highly recommend it to anybody who loves the Sydney =
bush and its feathered denizens and is yet to savour its delights. It's
=
a short, steep climb up from the pool but nothing a regular walker
would =
be concerned about.
Here's the list:
Brown Goshawk
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Galah
Rainbow Lorikeet
Crimson Rosella
Laughing Kookaburra
Superb Lyrebird (call only)
White-throated Treecreeper
Superb Fairy-wren
Spotted Pardalote
Rockwarbler
White-browed Scrubwren
Chestnut-rumped Heathwren
Striated Thornbill
Brown Thornbill
Red Wattlebird
Little Wattlebird
Noisy Miner
Yellow-faced Honeyeater
White-eared Honeyeater (call only)
New Holland Honeyeater
Eastern Spinebill
Eastern Whipbird
Eastern Yellow Robin
Golden Whistler
Grey Shrike-thrush
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Grey Butcherbird
Pied Currawong
Australian Magpie
Red-browed Finch
Australian Raven
Satin Bowerbird
Short n sweet, but the abundance really was excellent, and all in about
=
4 hours.
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<META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; =
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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D1>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>I went birding on the Heathcote =96 Uloola =
Falls trail this
morning, via Karloo Pool. I didn=92t go all the way to Uloola Falls, as
=
I had
other engagements, but this would have to be one of the most beautiful =
walks
along sandstone country in the Royal National Park. I haven=92t walked =
this trail
since the 1980=92s, having concentrated on trails nearer the coast
since =
then. A
number of birders had remarked to me that Rockwarblers no longer =
frequent the
area since the 1994 fire devastation and I must admit that I was =
somewhat eager
to test that claim. I=92d also hoped to catch up to some Yellow-tufted =
Honeyeaters
which were reported as being on the trail a couple of months ago on
this =
list.</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT
size=3D3><FONT
color=3D#000000><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman"> <?xml:namespace =
prefix =3D o ns =3D
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" =
/><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>I proceeded through an area which I felt was a
=
little slow
on regeneration for the first few hundred meters, but gradually the =
trail showed
increasing signs of a return to normality. The bush was alive with =
Eastern
Spinebills, New-Holland Honeyeaters, Little Wattlebirds, Yellow-faced
Honeyeaters and the odd Noisy Miner, Red Wattlebird and Rainbow =
Lorikeet, all
taking advantage of the flowering Eucalypts (haemastoma and paniculata =
=96 some
piperita appeared to be flowering early too) as well as the Banksias
(ericafolia, spinulosa, integrifolia), Hakeas, Leptosperms, =
Acacia and
lovely red Grevilleas (speciosa). Also abundant were Brown and to a =
lesser
extent Striated Thornbills. Decorating the sides of the trail were the =
usual
supply of White-browed Scrubwrens and Superb Fairy-wrens (all still in =
eclipse
plumage in these parts). Spotted Pardalotes were really active and =
abundant,
providing plenty of delight as they foraged much lower than usual and =
approached
me quite fearlessly, as they do. One of these fellows flew up from the =
side of
the trail as I approached and I then realised that his nesting hole was
=
in the
side of the trail about 10cm from my foot and no higher than my ankle. =
The bank
on the trail-side was not much higher. As I crouched to make certain of
=
my
observation, the female emerged from the burrow. I quickly moved on,
not =
wishing
to disturb their extremely optimistic nesting activities but sadly =
noticed, as I
did so, that on the direct other side of the trail, about a meter away,
=
a
mountain bike tyre had scrubbed down the side of the trail bank. I =
can=92t get the
thought out of my head that these small, beautiful and harmless fellows
=
face the
alarming possibility of entombment in their nest hole due to the =
selfishness and
ignorance of some humans.</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT
size=3D3><FONT
color=3D#000000><FONT
face=3D"Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Also heard on the trail was a couple of =
White-eared
Honeyeater calls, though none were seen, nor were any of the =
Yellow-tufted
Honeyeaters. I=92m a little surprised that they weren=92t there as they
=
frequent
very similar bush not far away in the Heathcote National Park. Perhaps =
one of
the prevalent species excludes them. I know that YTH=92s generally =
dominate where
they are found but, unless my memory is faulty, I don=92t recall
finding =
many Little Wattlebirds sympatric to YTH's. Perhaps then the
LW=92s =
exclude
YTH=92s? </FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT
size=3D3><FONT
color=3D#000000><FONT
face=3D"Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>I am pleased to inform those who are lamenting
=
the loss of
Rockwarblers on this trail that they should lament no more. I =
heard five
individuals calling at different locations on the trail side of the =
valley and
several calls coming from the hillside on the other side of the valley.
=
I
observed four individuals as well, approaching one to within half a =
meter. These
carefree and amiable birds are certainly a pleasure to share a little =
time with
as they scamper about, swinging their body to and fro and making their =
little
=93kissing=94 call while foraging. My advice to those who are having =
trouble
spotting these birds is to find a site where Rockwarblers frequent or =
visit with
someone familiar with their calls and spend some time learning those =
calls.
Rockwarblers then become much easier to find. Of course this is true
for =
all
birds but somehow, when a Rockwarbler makes its unmistakable call, it =
gradually
asserts itself on your consciousness and then you find yourself
charging =
to the
source of the call to catch a glimpse of these fellows.</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT
size=3D3><FONT
color=3D#000000><FONT
face=3D"Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Other delights of the day included =
reacquainting myself
with the beautiful Karloo Pool and Kangaroo Creek, coming face to face,
=
almost
literally, with a Swamp Wallaby (who was as stunned as I was), plenty
of =
wildflowers blooming (Patersonia, Hibertia, etc.) and very =
frequently
finding myself amid mixed feeding flocks of small insectivores. All in =
all, a
great stroll in some charming bushland. Of course this trail is no =
secret, but
I=92d highly recommend it to anybody who loves the Sydney bush and its =
feathered
denizens and is yet to savour its delights. It=92s a short, steep climb
=
up from
the pool but nothing a regular walker would be concerned =
about.</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT
size=3D3><FONT
color=3D#000000><FONT
face=3D"Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Here=92s the list:</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT
size=3D3><FONT
color=3D#000000><FONT
face=3D"Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Brown Goshawk</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Sulphur-crested Cockatoo</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Galah</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Rainbow Lorikeet</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Crimson Rosella</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Laughing Kookaburra</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Superb Lyrebird (call only)</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>White-throated Treecreeper</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Superb Fairy-wren</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Spotted Pardalote</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Rockwarbler</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>White-browed Scrubwren</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Chestnut-rumped Heathwren</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Striated Thornbill</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Brown Thornbill</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Red Wattlebird</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Little Wattlebird</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Noisy Miner</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Yellow-faced Honeyeater</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>White-eared Honeyeater (call only)</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>New Holland Honeyeater</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Eastern Spinebill</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Eastern Whipbird</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Eastern Yellow Robin</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Golden Whistler</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Grey Shrike-thrush</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Grey Butcherbird</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Pied Currawong</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Australian Magpie</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Red-browed Finch</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Australian Raven</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Satin Bowerbird</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT
size=3D3><FONT
color=3D#000000><FONT
face=3D"Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"
color=3D#000000 size=3D3>Short n sweet, but the abundance really was =
excellent, and
all in about 4 hours.</FONT></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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