What with having to attend to email messages about gallids, I didn't get
down to the Saltwater Creek camp until late on the Saturday. By that time
it was not easy to wedge a small tent into the crowded campground, which
meant retreating somewhat into the tick-infested underbrush. However the
spot was full of birds with b-f monarchs, satin bowerbirds and wonga pigeons
all around, ytbcs raining down twigs and half-eaten cones from the giant
banksias, and an abundance of w-b scrubwrens, some doing their mice
impersonations under chairs, tables and vehicles.. Most of the gang turned
up an hour or so later in time to point out the black snake in the middle of
the camp and warn about the tent-penetrating goannas.
It seemed that, numbering about 30 in total, they had divided into 2 parties
and been off on some kind of competitive twitch. When they aired their
findings that evening one lot had a Beautiful Firetail and the other a
Wandering Albatross, so I inferred that, wherever they had been, they had
not targeted exactly the same habitats. By the Sunday evening, about 100
species had been observed, with a few gaps in the list. The rail or duck
enthusiast should probably prefer Fivebough Swamp over this venue.
Nonetheless the coast views were spectacular as always.
At last light on Monday when everyone else had left I sat on the rocks and
watched a stream of smaller albatross heading north, occasionally
disappearing below the swells. Sue Lashko had gone, so I couldn't be
certain what they were.
Geoffrey Dabb
email :
ph/fax : 02 6295 3449
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