Narooma-Bermagui (29/12/05-02/01/06)

[Marnix Zwankhuizen <>]

We spent an amazing time over new years down in the Narooma-Bermagui area of the south coast.

 

Thu 29 Dec

A brief stop at Monga NP produced Pilotbirds, Crescent Honeyeater and a Jezebel (butterfly). We arrived at our accommodation in Narooma which turned out to be alive with birds. While swimming in the pool we could see or listen to the calls of Brown Gerygone, Common Koel, Dollarbird, Lewin's Honeyeater, White-headed Pigeon and Pilotbird! Each night a Southern Boobook called. Also 6 Bar-tailed Godwits at Handkerchief Beach.

 

Fri 30 Dec

A walk around Wagonga Inlet produced 120 Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Eastern Curlew, 3 Pied Oystercatcher, 3 Little Egret among others. But the most amazing sightings were of the marine variety along the Mill Bay Boardwalk: A Common Octopus superbly changing colour, a Green Moray Eel, its yellow head protruding from its home, two enormous Smooth Stingrays, one easily 3 metres long and 2 metres wide, several Southern Eagle Rays and a Fiddler Ray, not to mention numerous smaller rays, possibly Estuary Rays or Stingarees. All these rays were easily seen each day at high tide. Fishes included Banded Seaperch, One-spot Chromis, juvenile Keyhole Angelfish at their southern limit, Old Wives and Blackfish or Luderick. To top it off as the tide receded tens of thousands of Soldier Crabs appeared in waves to feed. The lone  Bush Stone-Curlew was present most days near the skate park.

 

Sat 31 Dec

6 Bar-tailed Godwits and 2 Pied Oystercatcher at Dalmeny. There were no shorebirds present at Brou Lake, but did find Variegated Fairy-wren and Shining Bronze-Cuckoo . At Mystery Bay were 8 Bar-tailed Godwit and 1 Sooty Oystercatcher. At midday in extreme heat I walked around Ringlands Bay to the giant fig tree rainforest. Birds included 2 dark morph White-bellied Cuckoo-shrikes, Cicadabirds in the canopy of the fig tree, 2 Wonga Pigeons, 1 Brush Cuckoo and Brown Gerygone. Back at Narooma there was also 1 Grey-tailed Tattler in the harbour.

A brief spotlighting sojourn at 10pm along Box Cutting Rd in Bodalla SF produced a group of 2-3 Yellow-bellied Gliders, 2 Southern Boobooks and a beautiful 2 metre Diamond Python.

 

Sun 1 Jan

Spent the day at Wallaga Lake and Beach. Birds included 4 Royal Spoonbill, 2 Hooded Plover and 3 Little Terns, one of which was incubating an egg(s). Also 30 Bar-tailed Godwits, 4 Pied Oystercatcher, 2 Red-capped Plover, 1 Red-necked Stint and 10 Bottle-nosed Dolphins in the waves metres offshore. At Bermagui Harbour we saw several more enormous Smooth Stingrays and Eagle Rays, as well as 1 Eastern Curlew and 5 White-throated Needletails.

Black Swans were nesting at Bermagui Lagoon, Long Swamp and near Bumbo Rd. Strangely 4 Ostriches at Long Swamp among the cattle!

 

Mon 2 Jan

Single Pied Oystercatchers at Kianga Beach and Carters Beach. A female Figbird calling outside our room in Bermagui. A visit to the raised hidden lake 'Nargal' produced the most Musk Duck I have ever seen - at least 10, all females. A Brown Goshawk at Bergalia.

 

Cheers

Marnix