On Wednesday morning I had planned to head west to Pink Lakes, a spot I had not been previously. However the weather forecast threatened that Mildura might exceed 45 degrees and break the all-time record for November (a threat that was in fact borne out). This caused a reconsideration of the immediate program, so at Ouyen instead of heading west I turned east for Tooleybuc (where I had been once before, and did not need to linger).
As it happened Wednesday began pleasantly enough. I tracked down a large body of Regent Parrots – at least 70 birds – that were flying down from the tops of the river red gums near the lake to feed noisily on the seeds of hopbush on the crest of a dune. This was a spectacular sight in the early morning light with a dozen or so parrots at the top of a single shrub weighing down the feathery branchlets as they nibbled away busily. With this species, it is a matter of taste whether the striking male is more attractive than the more varied female. There was a high proportion of young birds.
