some interesting Riverina sightings

[sandra henderson <>]

I had to go to Deniliquin for a lunch today (Sat), so took a couple of days to go to some less familiar places / along some roads I hadn't travelled for ages.  On Thursday I travelled the Barellan to Narrandera road, and came upon Lake Coolah. It wasn't on my radar at all, because apparently this year it has filled (overflow from Mirrool Creek) for the first time in memory (even old locals can't recall it filling in the past).  Apart from the hundreds of Black-winged Stilts and Black-tailed Native Hens, and dozens of Red-kneed Dotterels, Pink-eared Ducks, Whiskered Terns, Sharp-tailed Sandpipers and Yellow-billed Spoonbills, there was a single Brolga patrolling the shallow edge near the roadside (water was right up to edge of road), a couple of Cockatiels flew over,  and a few Red-necked Avocets were visible. On to Fivebough Swamp, which although still flooded, has some very good birding - in fact birds were easier to see than in the past - lots of Red-kneed Dotterels, Pelicans, Black-tailed Native Hens and Variegated Fairy Wrens.  Spent the night at Woolshed Flat at Cocoparra - the only camper in the NP - so very peaceful, and a huge flock of White-browed and Masked Woodswallows next to the campground as well as other nice birds. Headed over to Binya Forest early Friday, but dismayed to find a gent with rifle at my favourite dam, so I left in a hurry - it is a "Declared Hunting Area" and there are certainly LOTS or feral goats in Binya and Cocoparra at present.  A walk along the Falcon Falls walk in Cocoparra produced several very well-named Splendid Fairy-wrens and about 30 goats.

Along the Kidman Way (Griffith to the Newell Hwy near Jerilderie) I passed a water storage area (3 or perhaps 4 large-ish square dams together) - and the huge gathering birds along edges of all dams turned out to be a very large flock of Plumed Whistling Ducks - I estimated around 1000 - coots and Grey Teal on the dams, while the PWD were arrayed, as they often are, in lines along the edges. Very spectacular when a Little Eagle spooked the lot into flight!  A Black Falcon on a fnce close to Deniliquin rounded things off nicely.

 

sandra h