Bimbi State Forest & drought - 21 October

["Marnix Zwankhuizen" <>]

I visited Bimbi SF and the Wah Way Plain yesterday. I was amazed at how dry the conditions were out that way. I visited the same area this time last year and the area was green with water in all the dams. Now most dams are dry. As a result I passed my first group of Emus for the day at Thuddungra, just north-west of Young. I spent most of the day exploring the back tracks of Bimbi SF as Weddin NP was still black from the bushfires earlier this year. At my usual stop by a dam, which still contained water, I found plenty of birds including White-backed Swallow (2), Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (5) and Grey-crowned Babblers nest building. Along one of the tracks I found a 1.5m Lace Monitor as well as a group of 12 Emus. I also found 10 Blue Bonnets along one track and a Hobby. Other birds seen in SF included Chestnut-rumped Thornbill (5). Not many raptors apart from the common  Black-shouldered Kite and a few Kestrels.

 

I then drove through Quandialla and along Berendebba Lane to Caragabal SF. 2 Blue-faced Honeyeaters in Quandialla and Emus and Blue Bonnets along Berendebba Lane. I searched all the Weeping Myall/Boree but only found Yellow-throated Miners. Woodswallows were scarce, with a few White-browed along Wombat Road and in Caragabal SF. Duskies were also in Caragabal SF. Also at Caragabal SF nest-building Diamond Firetails and Chestnut-rumped Thornbills. Caragabal SF is similar vegetation to Bimbi SF however Caragabal has a nice understorey of shrubs in parts and tall native grass, whereas the understorey at Bimbi was dry and bare.

 

The drive along Bland Creek offered nothing in the way of birdlife as the creek is bone dry this year.

 

I found Superb Parrots at Illalong Creek, Wombat Road, Wallendbeen, Bimbi and Harden and at a dam at Cunningar, where I usually stop, there was a lone Glossy Ibis. On the way back I stopped at Jindalee SF which was looking really bare due to illegal firewood removal. There is basically no shrub layer left.

 

Cheers

Marnix