Every few months the chatline contains a report from someone who has driven into New South Wales, out of the COG ‘Area of Interest’. Having spent three days around Leeton, both at various wetlands and in Cocoparra NP and Binya SF, I can
confirm that it only takes a three-hour drive west of Canberra to reach a whole new suite of birds. So go a little west if you would like to see Chestnut-rumped Thornbill, Inland Thornbill, Singing Honeyeater, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Yellow-throated Miner,
Zebra Finch, Splendid Fairywren and others...
As well as these species, highlights included Great Crested Grebe and White-breasted Woodswallow on Lake Wyangan, and several dancing Brolga at Fivebough Wetlands – but also an abundance of two species that we do see but more rarely in
Canberra, namely Yellow Thornbill and Red-capped Robin, the latter providing a frequent splash of bright technicolour to the bush.
Driving back, there was a clear change between Narrandera and Wagga Wagga, from the irrigation country with its redgum swamps and native pine sandhills, to the box-gum woodlands more characteristic of Canberra – marked by the reappearance
of Red Wattlebirds, Pied Currawongs and Brown Thornbill.
Steve