the last one....
-K
Fri. 13 Dec. Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Avoca Floodway, Reedy Lake,
Terrick-Terrick SP.
The only new bird I found this morning in the mallee was a
Southern Whiteface in a flock of thornbills. On the way down to
Terrick-Terrick state park I made several stops that were mentioned in a
trip report from last year. The Avoca Floodway near Kerang along the
Murray River was one of the best spots I birded all trip. Maybe this is
just because I enjoy waterbirds so much, but there were so many here.
Whiskered Tern, Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Black-tailed Native Hen,
Pink-eared Duck, Royal Spoonbill, Yellow-billed Spoonbill, Straw-necked
Ibis, Sacred Ibis, White-faced Heron, White-necked Heron, Chestnut Teal,
Gray Teal, Purple Swamphen, Little Pied Cormerant, Black Swans, an
immature White-bellied Sea Eagle, White-fronted Chats and Skylarks. The
Royal Spoonbills were all decked out in breeding plumage, with dramatic
white plumes at the backs of their heads. A few kilometers along the
road is the Reedy Lake Ibis rookery, where I was amazed to find thousands
and thousands of Herons and Ibis and Spoonbills nesting, flapping,
squawking, and flying around in large soaring flocks.
Terrick-Terrick state park has an interesting forest habitat,
which I only spent a short time in. Birds here included Hooded Robin,
Black-chinned Honeyeater, Brown Treecreeper, White-browed Woodswallow,
Tree Martins, White-faced Babblers, and Silvereye. This was relatively
quiet with birds, and I was ready to stop birding for a while, so I spent
the night in Bendigo where I could get a shower. The trees around the
Caravan park were filled to overflowing with Musk Lorikeets and Red
Wattlebirds. A good end to my trip.
All of the parks I visited were almost deserted when I was
there. Except for Little Desert, there was always at least one other
group of people there so I was not out entirely on my own. The birding
was wonderful, but I could see how a trip to these areas would be more
rewarding in winter or spring when the wildflowers are out and longer
walks could be taken without the dry heat. I saw numerous raptors along
the drives, but I was unable to get a decent count due to my inability to
identify them at 100 kph. I only missed a few sought after birds like
Budgerigar, GilbertUs Whistler, Regent Parrot (which I think I did see
flying over the road but couldnUt relocate them), Bluebonnet and
Redthroat. However, I was very satisfied with all the wildlife I saw.
My thanks to everyone who gave me tips on where to go and to the authors
of past trip reports, as these were especially helpful in finding the
birds. Good birding everyone!
Cheers,
Katie Bertsche
Trip List:
*life bird
*Emu
*Malleefowl
Little Penguin
Short-tailed Shearwater
Australian Pelican
Darter
Little Black Cormerant
Little Pied Cormerant
*Great Crested Grebe
*Hoary-headed Grebe
Australasian Grebe
Black Swan
*Australian Shelduck
Pacific Black Duck
Mallard
Gray Teal
Chestnut Teal
Pink-eared Duck
Australian Wood Duck
*Spotless Crake (possibly)
*Black-tailed Native-hen
Dusky Moorhen
Purple Swamphen
Eurasian Coot
*White-necked Heron
White-faced Heron
Sacred Ibis
Straw-necked Ibis
Royal Spoonbill
*Yellow-billed Spoonbill
Common Greenshank
*Marsh Sandpiper
Masked Lapwing
Black-fronted Dotterel
Black-winged Stilt
*Pacific Gull
Silver Gull
*Whiskered Tern
Black-shouldered Kite
Whistling Kite
Black Kite
*Little Eagle
*Swamp Harrier
Nankeen Kestrel
Brown Falcon
*Australian Hobby
Spotted Turtledove
Rock Dove
Peaceful Dove
*Common Bronzewing
Crested Pigeon
*Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo
*Gang-Gang Cockatoo
*Long-billed Corella
*Pink Cockatoo
Sulfur-crested Cockatoo
Rainbow Lorikeet
Musk Lorikeet
*Purple-crowned Lorikeet
*Cockatiel
Crimson Rosella
*Yellow Rosella
Eastern Rosella
*Mallee Ringneck
Red-rumped Parrot
*Turquoise Parrot
*Fan-tailed Cuckoo
*Southern Boobook
Tawny Frogmouth (heard)
Laughing Kookaburra
*Sacred Kingfisher
Rainbow Bee-eater
Supurb Lyrebird
Varied Sittella
White-throated Treecreeper
Red-browed Treecreeper
Brown Treecreeper
Supurb Fairy-wren
*Splendid Fairy-wren
Variegated Fairy-wren
Spotted Pardalote
*Striated Pardalote
White-browed Scrubwren
Weebill
Brown Thornbill
*Inland Thornbill
*Chestnut-rumped Thornbill
Striated Thornbill
Yellow-rumped Thornbill
*Southern Whiteface
Red Wattlebird
*Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater
Noisy Miner
*Yellow-throated Miner
Yellow-faced Honeyeater
*Singing Honeyeater
Yellow-tufted Honeyeater
*Fuscous Honeyeater
Yellow-plumed Honeyeater
*White-plumed Honeyeater
*Black-chinned Honeyeater
*Brown-headed Honeyeater
New Holland Honeyeater
Eastern Spinebill
*White-fronted Chat
*Gray-crowned Babbler
*White-browed Babbler
Rose Robin
*Scarlet Robin
*Red-capped Robin
Jacky Winter
*Southern Scrub-robin
Eastern Yellow Robin
*Hooded Robin
Crested Shrike-tit
Gray Shrike-thrush
Golden Whistler
Rufous Whistler
Gray Fantail
Rufous Fantail
Willie Wagtail
*Leaden FLycatcher
*Restless Flycatcher
Magpie-lark
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
*Ground Cuckoo-shrike
Dusky Woodswallow
*White-browed Woodswallow
*Black-faced Woodswallow
Pied Butcherbird
Australian Magpie
Pied Currawong
*Gray Currawong
Australian Raven
*Little Raven
*White-winged Chough
*Apostlebird
Welcome Swallow
Tree Martin
*Skylark
Clamorous Reed Warbler
House Sparrow
Red-browed Firetail
*Diamond Firetail
Silvereye
Bassian Thrush
*European Blackbird
Starling
Mynah
*RichardUs Pipit
total: 152 species
life birds: 60
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