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Hello everyone,
I thought I would report some sightings from a walk I did on
Saturday with my brother and a friend.
The walk up Mount Budawang, in Budawang NP east of
Braidwood, is some 6 km one way from the intersection of Budawang Rd. It rises
from approx. 700 m to 1138 m asl.
I had done the walk for the first time on 18 Sep 05 and got
some nice birds then as now.
The highlights are listed here:
·
The start of the walk meanders through farm
paddocks surrounded by remnant tall forest. 1 White-necked Heron spotted
here on a farm dam.
·
Then we entered moist eucalypt forest with an
open understorey of banksia (not flowering) and Lomatia. Seen here were a Rufous
Fantail and a female Flame Robin, as well as an Echidna.
·
After passing the national park gate we entered
a patch of ferny temperate rainforest beside Feagans Ck. Seen here were a
family party of Crested Shrike-tits, resident Brown Gerygones, a
pair of Large-billed Scrubwrens, several Crescent Honeyeaters
calling, Eastern Yellow Robins and Eastern Whipbirds.
·
The track now climbs steadily through damp
eucalypt (Silvertop ash) forest with a dense, diverse understorey where we saw
2 Bassian Thrushes on the track, Gang-gang Cockatoos above and
both Fan-tailed Cuckoo and Shining Bronze-cuckoos calling, as well
as Brown-headed Honeyeaters. A male Scarlet Robin was seen and a Grey
Currawong. Many pea species in flower.
·
A further stretch of track is lined with tree
ferns under a canopy of eucalypts. Christmas bells and a carpet of ferns
everywhere. Here we coaxed out from cover a couple of Olive Whistlers.
Several Pilotbirds calling close by.
·
The track flattens on a saddle covered in
tea-tree scrub and heathy shrubs. Again at least 2 Pilotbirds calling from
cover.
·
The final climb to the summit and fire tower goes
through heath, including another banksia species (serrata?), allocasuarina nana
and many other heaths. Here it was dead quiet mostly apart from some Brown
Thornbills and 2 New Holland Honeyeaters. A bit later a pair of
Olive Whistlers passed through while another Pilotbird could be heard nearby.
Cheers
Marnix Zwankhuizen | Assistant Director
IT Solutions | Information Technology
Australian Electoral Commission
T: 02 6271 4465 | F: 02 6271 4644
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