BIRDING AT OOLAMBEYAN NP, NSW RIVERINA - 27 NOVEMBER 2004
Hello all,
A lone birder, I traveled out onto the plains to Oolambeyan NP, south
east of Hay in the NSW Riverina. The primary focus of the trip was
Plains-wanderer monitoring, but the opportunity to do a short bit of
birding was a pleasant part of the trip.
Leaving late Friday (26th) evening I drove direct to Oolambeyan,
observing the usual array of species along the way - Blue Bonnet, Galah,
Red-rumped Parrot, Black-shouldered Kite, Richard's Pipit, Brown
Songlark etc. A single Wedge-tailed Eagle sat perched on a low Old Man
Saltbush close to the road near one of the stock watering points along
the drive.
Spotlighting in the grassland turned up Richard's Pipit, Brown Songlark
and Banded Lapwing. No Plains-wanderers, though the area searched was
close to a significant line of Boree woodland. Fat-tailed Dunnart and
Hooded Scaly-foot were also observed.
On the return to camp I stopped briefly in a Black Box woodland were I
was happily greeted by the calling of Owlet Nightjars from all around
and a Barn Owl some short distance away.
Morning, and the day commenced with a bird watch around the homestead,
typical when I visit here. The sandhill vegetation here is dominated by
White Cypress Pine, but the walk also takes you into Boree Woodland, and
small areas of open grassland. Peaceful Dove and Rainbow Bee-eaters
continued to call as they had done when providing my morning alarm
clock, and a male Rufous Whistler, not to be outdone, joined in.
Spiny-cheeked and Singing Honeyeaters called loudly as they moved about
feeding on nectar in the homestead garden. A pair of Grey Shirke-thursh
and also Red-capped Robin stated their presence, while a lone Black Kite
and Collared Sparrowhawk kept a watch over the area. Yellow-rumped and
Chestnut-rumped Thornbills, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike and
Mistletoebird were also observed here with many other species.
After breakfast I drove out to the west, further along the sandhill into
an area known as The Alps. My arrival here was marked by the sighting of
four Ground Cuckoo-shrikes and numerous Woodswallows; Masked,
White-browed, Black-faced and Dusky. Traveling around the Sandhill
woodland White-winged Triller, Aust. Ringneck, Rufous Whistler and Blue
Bonnets were observed, while moving into Boree Woodland a group of
Grey-crowned Babbler and also White-winged Chough provided a comedy, and
on into Black Box woodland Yellow-throated Miner and Grey Butcherbird
kept a cautious watch of me.
With the coolness of morning fading rapidly I started to make my way
back to the homestead, along they way stopping to count 17 Wedge-tailed
Eagles in the sky, all at different levels, some low down at canopy
height, other riding high on thermals. Passing one of the dams a
White-faced Heron took flight, while four adult Emus took stock of eight
young and headed for cover away from the vehicle. A slight detour to a
northern dam produced Black-tailed Native-hen, then back to the
surrounds of the homestead.
After lunch, and joined by one of the regional rangers, we braved the
heat and took a short trip, west again into more the Black Box and Boree
dominated woodlands. Around a dam Banded and Masked Lapwing drank, as to
did Cockatiel, Red-rumped Parrot and Richard's Pipit. After about an
hour out, while heading back to the homestead we flushed a pair of
Blue-winged Parrots, late in the season, feeding on the ground. The
birds perched briefly in a dead pine providing excellent views of the
pair before they again took flight toward the east.
After spotlighting, and a need to return to Deniliquin early I headed
for home in the dark. Before leaving Oolambeyan though I was bid
farewell by a Tawny Frogmouth flying across the car and landing nearby
on a fencepost near to the track and the a Barn Owl which landed on the
track in from of the car.
Another fine trip to Oolambeyan despite the 46 degree temperature. A
total of 59 species were observed despite not visiting any of the cane
grass or lignum / goosefoot swamps, and the grasslands and shrublands of
the southern parts of the park.
Cheers
David Parker
Deniliquin, NSW
PS - No camping facilities are available to the public as yet, though a
great BBQ shelter has recently been erected. It is suggested that people
visiting this park make contact with the parks regional office in
Griffith on 02 6966 5800 before visiting.
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