Hello All.
On Australia Day weekend (24-26 January) I travelled to Bright in
north-east Victoria from Melbourne for a 'relaxing' weekend of cycling and
a little birding.
The main activity for the weekend was a bike clubs (Audax Australia) 100,
130 and 200 km rides (not race) around the district. I and several work
colleagues and friends did the 100 or 200 km options. Along the way I
heard and saw a number of birds of interest that helped keep ones mind off
the 20-30 km ascents of local mountains. The land use in this part of
Victoria are farmland (cattle grazing, tobacco, hops and blueberries) with
state forest and National Parks making up the bulk of public land.
My 100 km ride (with a few hundred others!) went east to Smoko, then
returned to Bright and up to Mt Buffalo and return. Some of the avian
highlights were as follows:
King Parrots landing in the town trees and calling loudly while we sipped
pints of Wandilagong apple juice after the ride,
Mistletoe-birds calling everywhere in and around the town and surrounding
district,
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos and Superb Lyrebirds just off the road on the
way up Mt Buffalo,
Rufous Whistlers giving their whipcrack-like calls in the scrub off the
road on the way to Smoko.
The 'usual' larrikins of the district were Pied Currawongs, which I
associate with this part of the State, giving there wonderful
curra-curra-currawong call. The 100 km people were lucky to finish before
the electrical storms commenced and birding became less important than
avoiding hypothermia!
Not alot of birdlife but enough to keep one listening while on the bike for
almost 6 hours.
Martin O'Brien
Melbourne, Australia.
|
