EASTER IN THE NSW RIVERINA
Follow That Bird Tours organised a five day trip to the New South Wales
Riverina 6-10 April 2007, the first time such an activity had been
undertaken. We were aware that the area was in drought but some widespread
rains had fallen in March and it was hoped that the pressure on the land
would have eased and that the birds would have responded to the improved
conditions. So we departed from Sydney early on the Friday morning at 7 am
and headed out via Southern Cross Drive, passed the airport and the Botany
swamps where we were farewelled by a flock of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos.
Our first birding spot was at Towrang near Goulburn where Golden & Rufous
Whistlers and Yellow-faced Honeyeaters were active, and then we lunched at
Wallendbeen, passing into the area where we would expect to see some western
species. It was pretty dry here but a pair of late Sacred Kingfishers and a
Noisy Friarbird were found along the mostly dry creek. Jindalee State Forest
however turned on an immature male Turquoise Parrot and an adult female
Painted Button-quail along with Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters, Brown
Treecreepers, Common Bronzewing and White-browed Babblers, and we were then
pleased that we had made the trip! A brief stop at Beckom added Apostlebird,
Grey-crowned Babbler and Blue-faced Honeyeater while at a waterhole north of
Leeton, we found Blue Bonnet, & Cockatiel for our list.
Our early morning walk at Leeton near the water tower the following day
found 25 species before breakfast including White-breasted Woodswallows,
Singing & Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters and a Black Kite. Along the road to
Yenda we watched a Hobby while at a shallow off-river storage pond, along
the main irrigation canal near Yenda we came across a large number of
waterbirds, including Royal & Yellow-billed Spoonbill, Pelican, 3
Greenshank, 30+ Black-fronted Dotterel, Hoary-headed & Little Grebe, 100s of
ducks including Shoveler, cormorants & Great Egret etc, along with Zebra
Finch & Yellow-throated Miner. Our morning tea stop was at Spring Hill in
Cocoparra NP where we had great views of Mulga Parrots & White-eared
Honeyeaters.We spent a long time in Binya SF for little reward although we
all had good views of an imature male Crested Bellbird, and Mistletoebirds &
Chestnut-rumped Thornbills. We returned to Cocoparra NP visiting Store Creek
& Jacks Creek camping areas. The highlights here were Inland Thornbill,
Mallee Ringneck, Yellow Robin, Speckled Warbler, while Grey Fantails were a
common feature where ever we went. We madea brief visit to Campbells Swamp,
Griffith and it was almost dry, but there were Black & Black-shouldered
Kites to be seen as well as Blue Bonnet & Eastern Rosella. At Lake Wyangan
there were Mallard, Darter and Pied Cormorant all new to our list, while
more Shoveler, Whistling Kite & White-breasted Woodswallow were seen. Three
Cattle Egrets were found with cattle at Beelbangera and our last stopping
place for the day was Leeton STW where about 300 Australian Shelducks were
seen on Fivebough Swamp and 60+ Pinkears on the Ponds as well as the usual
ducks. A pair of White-fronted Chats were new for the trip. We retired to
the historic Leeton Hydro Hotel birded out but happy!
Our first stop on the Sunday morning was Fivebough Swamp where we spent 2
hours. The first birds to greet us as we walked pass the visitor centre was
a pair of Ground Cuckoo-shrikes and as were leaving we were able to watch
them again, allowing quite close views. As we came out onto the open water
after walking through the reedbeds, we were greeted by the trumpeting sounds
of a flock of Brolga and watched as 62 Brolgas flew into the swamp and
commenced to feed! What a great sound & sight! There were about 300 Shelduck
and maybe about 1000 Black Duck & Grey Teal and 20-30 Shoveler, Royal &
Yellow-billed Spoonbill, White & Straw-necked Ibis and many Swamphens &
Masked Lapwings. Black-fronted & Red-capped Plovers were busy on the exposed
mud and 2, but possibly 4 Pectoral Sandpipers were seen in a loose group. A
lone Black-tailed Native-hen was found as well as a Cisticola, while Little
Grassbirds were common. Zebra Finches, & Variegated Fairy-wrens were
located. From here we travelled south to Jerilderie via Darlington Point
where we saw Yellow Rosellas and Wedge-tailed Eagles at Yanko Creek. We
stopped by a recently harvested rice crop 8 km west of Jerilderie to check
out the birds and found 26 Black Kites, a Black Falcon, Straw-necked &
White Ibis, White-necked & White-faced Herons and many Little Ravens all
enjoying a feast. We picked up our first Emus in and around Conargo, and
then travelled to private property near Wanganella. Late in the afternoon we
saw a number of Wedge-tailed Eagles & Brown Falcons and were shown a flock
of 22 Banded Lapwings and 16 Inland Dotterels, the latter feeding very
contently in a lightly grassed paddock. We ate our dinner in a clump of
Black Box on the Hay Plains, the meal consisting of quiches and the most
scrumptious Jewish Passover Cake with cream, made by Janene, The sun was
setting, there was a great sunset and Robert found an Owlet Nightjar for all
of us to view. After dark we went spotlighting and saw Emus, Pipits, a
Boobook Owl, a Brush-tailed Possum & Fat-tailed Dunnarts but alas none of
the target species, the elusive Plains Wanderer. We travelled the 80 km into
Hay, watching out for the many Red Kangaroos on the road. A great days
birding!
We had a late start on Monday, and went down to Hay Weir, 15 km further west
to recover! At the weir there were the usual waterbirds, and plenty of
raptors including Wedge-tailed & Sea-Eagle, Whistling Kite & Kestrel, as
well as Great Cormorant & Great Egret, and smaller birds like Yellow &
Chestnut-rumped Thornbill, Weebill and great views of White-winged
Fairy-wrens. Between morning tea and lunch we explored the River Red Gum
Forests around Hay, where we had good views of Grey-crowned Babbler, Grey
Shrike-thrush more Blue-faced Honeyeaters, Brown Treecreepers and Peaceful
Doves. We returned to Narrandera's via various roads along the Murrumbidgee
River and near Carrathool, again were attracted to a recently harvested
rice-crop where this time along with the usual Ibis, Herons, Ravens were 2
Brown Falcons and a Black Falcon. More Wedge-tailed Eagles were seen, while
Narrandera yeilded plenty of Pied Currawongs, Blackbirds and Yellow
Rosellas.
The last day required an early start and it was not long before we had a
short stop at Ganmain SF looking for bushbirds, we did managed to see 2
Superb Parrots and 2 Cockatiels, both pairs flying over and way before we
could obtain any decent looks, alas those were the only Superb Parrots for
the trip. Yellow Robin, Yellow Thornbill & Grey Fantails were the only other
birds of interest here! South of Coolamon there were more Cockatiels and a
short stop at Junee found c. 150 Plumed Whistling Ducks at the STW, along
with some Australian Shelduck and Hoary-headed Grebe, amongst the usual
waterbirds. In the town park where we had our morning tea a Common
Bronzewing & Blue-faced Honeyeater ! Our final birding for the day was at
Jugiong, along the Murrumbidgee River where we checked out the Red-bowed
Finches, Yellow-rumped & Yellow Thornbills and Grey fantail and saw our
final Whistling Kite for the Trip. Overall we saw 146 species but it was
hard work. The drought appears to have had a disastrous effect on the small
bird population and in most bushland areas and state forests the understorey
had died or had been grazed out, and there was no habitat left for
thornbills, fairy-wrens, scrub-wrens & warblers, while with the exception of
a few, most wetlands were dry. It is hoped the drought in inland NSW is soon
over and the bushland can return to good times again. Despite this everyone
had a great time birding and I thank Gloria, Marcia. Patricia, Rose, Stella,
Val, Alan, Chris & Janene, for their company and camaraderie during this
trip. (Alan Morris)
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