Some central west NSW bird observations

[David Rees <>]

On Weds and Thursday this week I traveled down by road from Qld.  Stopped in on a few places in the Central West on the way and what I saw may be of interest to list members as this areas offers some different birds to what is around Canberra and is a doable trip for a few days.

Stopped in at Tiger bay wetlands in Warren which is sort of between Nyngan and Dubbo.  Right now there are lots of Cockatiels setting up home there, watched a pair mate.  Mistletoes in a wattle attracted Blue-faced honeyeaters, little friarbirds and lots of mistletoebirds. Also had a fly over from a red-winged parrot and a spotted bowerbird.  (The latter can be found in the area near the caravan park in Nyngan along with white-bellied cuckoo-shrike and grey crowned babblers)  Also kites various. Plenty of ducks on the wetlands but no surprises. One slight surprise however were Magpie Geese!    Heaps of Rufous Songlarks with Brown Songlarks along the road from Coonamble.

Stopped in also at Gum swamp in Forbes – currently full of clean looking water for once.  Heaps of ducks, esp. Pink-eared.  Also found a group of about six Freckled ducks.  Again there were Cockatiels.  There were more Cockatiels on the side of the road between Forbes and Grenfell. 

David