Hi Edwin, interesting as your report is, mightn't it have been better to
make it available on attachment rather than sending what must be at least a
12 page document to everyone. See recent mailings re this topic from Ian
Fraser and myself.
Tony Russell. Adelaide.
At 08:08 18/11/98 +1100, you wrote:
>TRIP REPORT TO THE MURRAY DARLING BASIN REGION (1ST - 14TH NOVEMBER 1998)
>
>
>Myself and David Koffel, have just returned from an enjoyable and pleasant
>inland trip. As a result of covering new birding habitats - the Mallee,
>Mulga, the Bluebush plains etc, several species were new to me, and I saw a
>total of 37 lifers out of a total trip list of 225 species.
>
>The main areas visited were as follows:
>
>1) Back Creek State Forest (east of West Wyalong, western NSW)
>2) Round Hill Nature Reserve (north-west of Lake Cargelligo, western NSW)
>3) Loughnan Nature Reserve (east of Hillston, western NSW)
>4) Hattah-Kulkyne National Park (north of Ouyen, north-western VIC)
>5) Wyperfeld National Park (south-west of Ouyen, north-western VIC)
>6) Lake Alexandrina (south-east of Adelaide, SA)
>7) The Coorong (south-east of Adelaide, SA)
>8) Messent Conservation Park (south-east of Adelaide, SA)
>9) Bool Lagoon (south of Naracoorte, SE SA)
>10) Mungo National Park (far-western NSW)
>11) Kinchega National Park (far-western NSW)
>12) Mootwingee National Park (far-western NSW)
>13) Cobar Waste Depot (western NSW, a good place for birds!!!)
>14) Gum Swamp, Forbes (western NSW)
>
>
>Here follows my birding diary for the trip:
>
>DAY 1 - 1ST NOVEMBER 1998 (SYDNEY - LITHGOW - WEST WYALONG - LAKE CARGELLIGO
>- ROUND HILL)
>
>We left my place at 7am on Sunday, and arrived at Bathurst (approx. 210 km
>west of Sydney City along the Great Western HWY), at about 9:30 am (traffic
>was good all the way until heading back to town). About 20 km before
>arriving in Cowra, we spotted our first inland bird, 4 Superb Parrots (3
>males and 1 female) which perched in the Eucalyptus trees beside the road
>allowing great viewing. Though not a new bird for either myself or David,
>both of us agreed that this was the best views of Superb Parrots that we
>ever had. It was a great start for the trip.
>
>We made a brief visit to Back Creek State Forest before West Wyalong and saw
>more typical inland species - Speckled Warblers, Inland Thornbill, several
>Red-capped Robins and Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (the later, being one of the
>most commonly encountered birds for the trip).
>
>We then headed to our first campsite in Round Hill Nature Reserve
>(north-west of Lake Cargelligo) and on our way we saw Blue Bonnets, many
>White-browed and some Black-faced Woodswallows, and at a lignum swamp
>between Lake Cargelligo and Round Hill, a first of many sightings of
>White-winged Wrens was obtained with 2 freshly plumage males perched and
>trilling away on a lignum bush only metres away.
>
>We arrived at Round Hill Nature Reserve at about 4:30. Here mallee dominated
>the place and we soon obtained close up views of Gilberts Whistlers, a pair
>of Chestnut Quail-thrush, a Shy Heathwren, White-fronted and Yellow-plumed
>Honeyeaters and the lovely Splendid Wren all within metres of our camp site.
>Spotted Pardalotes of the yellow-rumped form was also sighted, and its call
>appears softer than that of the red-rumped form I am more familiar with. I
>possibly heard a Red-lored Whistler but the call was too brief and was
>unable to track it further.
>
>In the evening, a quick drive around the area yielded a Spotted Nightjar in
>front of the headlights.
>
>DAY 2 - 2nd NOVEMBER 1998 (ROUND HILL)
>
>Woke up early at 5:30 am to the inland dawn chorus dominated by the
>Honeyeaters - Yellow-plumed, White-fronted, Singing and Spiny-cheeked
>Honeyeaters. The chorus was soon joined by Gilberts and Rufous Whistlers and
>by the ringing and ventriloquial call of the Crested Bellbird which we soon
>saw. The Bellbird was observed turning its head at different directions as
>it called, producing a ventriloquial effect. The call of this bird was seen
>or heard and later stages in our trip and to me ranked one of the best bird
>songs heard.
>
>During the morning we spotted a pair of quite approachable Southern
>Scrubrobins on the north side of the wheat paddock with a Black Honeyeater
>and Black-eared Cuckoo heard nearby.
>
>We drove around the actual "Round Hill" and were fortunate to find 7 Pink
>(Major Mitchells) Cockatoo perched in a dead tree, but being fairly wary,
>they took flight minutes later after achieving good viewing. This was the
>largest number we had seen of this Cockatoo perched together, but we had
>sightings of 6 birds later on the trip but other sightings was mainly of
>pairs.
>
>We had initial difficulty in finding the Whoey trail which was supposed to
>have some great birds and mistakenly took a fire brake track, but just
>aswell as there was a lot of bird activity about there. There were hundreds
>of White-browed and Masked Woodswallows, hundreds of White-winged Trillers
>(numbers of this bird which we have never seen previously with about 5 male
>Trillers perched together on the same termite mound), Rufous Songlarks,
>Pallid and Horsfields Bronze-cuckoos aswell as Crimson and White-fronted
>Chats. No doubt these number of birds were attracted to the abundance of
>Butterflies and their larvae aswell as the termites.
>
>We eventually made our way on the Whoey trail and soon found this spot was
>also just as productive, seeing Mulga and Mallee Rignecked Parrots (there
>were also signs of the Mallee Rednecks with lots of bullet holes on just
>about every sign post in the area), Spotted Bowerbird and a bird that I have
>been chasing for quite some time, a Black-eared Cuckoo which perched and
>called on a dead Eucalypt. What a thrill and it was very cooperative for a
>detailed study.
>
>On our way back to camp we watched a number of birds come to drink at an
>almost dried up pool. Visitors to this pool included Mallee Ringnecks, Mulga
>Parrots, Common Bronzewings, Bar-shouldered Doves aswell as Spiny-cheeked
>and White-eared Honeyeaters.
>
>DAY 3- 3rd NOVEMBER 1998 (ROUND HILL-LOUGHNAN NATURE RESERVE-HAY-HATTAH)
>
>Thinking, that we were going to have an uninterrupted sleep for the night,
>we were woken up at one o'clock that morning by the weird laughter of the
>Spotted Nightjar as it flew around our camp site. I got up with my spotlight
>and saw it a number of times as it landed on the ground then took off at my
>approach. I was able to see the white spots clearly in each wing and its
>bright red eyes as it rested on the ground. I also heard the calls of
>several Little and Painted Button-quail calling at the time and thinking
>whether I would find them at night but their calls were not continuous and
>therefore I decided to return to my sleep.
>
>Later that morning, having decided that we have seen what we are most likely
>to see at Round Hill, we decided to head off to Loughnan Nature Reserve, to
>find the resident Malleefowl. Upon arriving there we tried to follow some
>given directions to a Malleefowl mound but we found all the tracks within
>this small reserve running all over the place making any track in the area
>looking vague, so we just wandered about through the bush. We ended up
>seeing no Malleefowl but had good views of a male and female Crested
>Bellbird, the former calling in the canopy of one of the Mallee Eucalypts
>and the later feeding on the ground, just metres in front of us. With
>little activity here, we decided to head straight off to Hattah-Kulkyne
>National Park in north-west Victoria.
>
>Between Hillston and Booligal, we saw our first Emus for the trip with a
>small number of 6 seen. Further down the road at Mirrool Creek, just a
>little north of Hay, we stopped at a small channel amongst
>saltbush/bluebush and saw one of the most dazzling birds of the trip, a pair
>of Orange Chats, together with a pair of Crimson and a single White-fronted
>Chat. Brown Songlarks and Singing Bushlarks.
>
>We soon passed through the Hay plains hoping to find some outstanding
>raptors on the way. The raptors seen along these plains, were mainly Black
>Kites, Kestrels, Brown Falcons and our first pair of Wedge-tailed Eagles for
>the trip. More Emus were also seen on the plains.
>
>Just before arriving at Hattah, we saw 3 Regent Parrots whiz past across the
>road. As it was getting dark quickly, we didn't bother to stop the car for a
>better look, as we were fairly confident in getting better views of them the
>next day (and we did).
>
>DAY 4- 4th NOVEMBER 1998 (HATTAH-KULKYNE & WYPERFELD NATIONAL PARKS)
>
>Early morning, we saw various parrots come to drink at Lake Hattah - a pair
>of Pink Cockatoos, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Galahs, Little Corellas,
>Yellow Rosellas, Mallee Ringnecks, several Regent Parrots and some
>Red-rumped Parrots. A pair of Emus aswell as several Red and Western Grey
>Kangaroos were also seen beside the lake. In the lake itself not many
>waterbirds were present apart from a few Cormorants and Australian Pelicans.
>
>
>We aimed to find both Striated Grasswrens and Mallee Emuwrens that morning
>along the Nowingi track and soon obtained great views of the former singing
>in front of us on a low branch beside clumps of Spinifex. It was a thrill to
>see this bird as it was my first Grasswren and I have heard others having
>difficulty in finding this bird. Well it does require just a little patience
>and the bird will come right up to you. Also along this trail we saw 2
>Immature male Chestnut Quail-thrushes in trying to find the Mallee Emuwren
>which we could not see that morning.
>
>After lunch we headed to Wyperfeld National Park. Here walked part of the
>trail to Lake Brambruk. In the heathy areas along the trail, past some
>fairly high sand dunes, we had a pair of Redthroats singing on top of
>bushes. I reckon these birds sound better than any caged Canary, and are a
>nice neat little bird. We found a Malleefowl mound at the end of the Dattak
>track, but didn't seem to be in current use.
>
>On our way back to Hattah, we saw a flock of 10-15 small Lorikeets whiz in
>around our car and land in some red-flowering Eucalypts along the main
>street at Hopetoun. We soon found that these were Purple-crowned Lorikeets
>feeding with some Musk Lorikeets. What a treat.
>
>We arrived back at camp in Hattah-Kulkyne and observed a Boobook Owl in one
>of the many large River Red Gums and heard a Tawny Frogmouth.
>
> DAY 5 - 5th NOVEMBER 1998 (HATTAH-KULKYNE - LAKE ALEXANDRINA - COORONG)
>
>We decided to have one more try for the Mallee Emuwren at the corner of the
>Nowingi track and the Old Calder Highway. This time we decided to walk in a
>bit more from the trail amongst the spinifex grass and then success at last,
>good views of a pair was obtained as they were enticed by a little
>squeaking.
>
>We then headed through the SA-VIC border to Lake Alexandrina, just out of
>Adelaide and on our way we spotted 16 Cape Barren Geese in paddocks beside
>the northern end of the lake itself. We went for a walk along the beach from
>Goolwa near the Murray River entrance but saw nothing really of interest,
>apart from a nice clean beach disturbed by 4WD's (What a shame!!!).
>
>We made a final visit of the day to Tolderol Game Reserve, again on the
>north side of the lake. Here I heard a Little Bittern calling for some time
>in some reeds. Small numbers of waders were present, which included
>Sharp-tailed Sandpipers and Red necked Stints (yes, the sign at the entrance
>did say lead bullets allowed in this reserve. Just aswell these were the
>only rednecks seen).
>
>With the initial intention of camping at Salt Creek, we were fearing that we
>will not make it as the fuel was running low and David was getting a bit of
>the cold, so we pulled at the nearest place to stay at Woodswell, just 17km
>west of Salt Creek.
>
>DAY 6 - 6th NOVEMBER 1998 (THE COORONG)
>
>First point of call, was the Petrol station at Salt Creek (about the middle
>of the Coorong) to stock up on fuel and oil. There was a Black-tailed Native
>Hen with 3 well grown chicks beside the Service Station. Here we met a
>couple of very helpful Aboriginal rangers. They told us that the Malleefowl
>still hangs about its mound 3.7km from the Service station on the Old
>Melbourne Rd. As we have been walking around a fair bit in mallee so far,
>and had hoped to have seen one by now with all our walking, we went straight
>there in no time. Upon arrival, we saw the Malleefowl just finishing a few
>touches to its mound, but the bird did not decide to hang around too long.
>Being shy it is afraid of us humans and sneakingly disappeared from behind
>the mound. Despite this I was satisfied with a few minutes of viewing seeing
>all its beautiful coloured patterns.
>
>Near the mound, there is a loop track that goes around coastal mallee
>vegetation. We were hoping to find the Slender-billed Thornbill on this
>trail, but none were seen. However, along this trail, Black-winged
>Currawongs (a subspecies of the Grey Currawong) made their presence felt
>with there loud clanking calls.
>
>We made a short visit to Messent Conservation Park, just a few km north of
>Salt Creek. Here we found in the Mallee Heath area, a Shy Heathwren, a pair
>of Southern Srubrobins and interestingly a pair of Eastern Yellow Robins. In
>the heathy areas, we found another Southern Scrubrobin, a Tawny-crowned
>Honeyeater and Southern Emuwrens.
>
>On our way out, we unfortunately got bogged on the sandy road track that
>runs down to Messent CP. We then had to find a way to get our 2WD out from
>the sand. Fortunately, we struck luck once again. The 2 Aboriginal Rangers
>who we met at the service station earlier that morning, came out of nowhere,
>like Gods Angels and helped us out in no time. Yes, they really deserve a
>beer. Not only they found us the Malleefowl, they even got us out. Phew, we
>were lucky they came only a few minutes latter, otherwise it would have been
>a 20 km walk to Salt Creek and back and a waste of our precious birding
>time.
>
>Late in the afternoon, we then drove from the southern end of the Old
>Melbourne Road, in the hope of finding Rufous Bristlebirds. We drove about 2
>km up the road and decided to paly a tape, when all of a sudden, we saw this
>big thing run like a rabbit, pausing briefly in the middle of bushes. We
>were surprised how large this bird is compared to its cousin, the Eastern
>Bristlebird. We played the tape again, and it moved from one bush to
>another. 4 other Bristlebirds were also heard calling from either side of
>the road. Then up in a sky, a soft parrot call was heard, and we briefly saw
>an Elegant Parrot fly over.
>
>We then moved up to Tea Tree crossing were I saw a pair of Fairy Terns
>perched on small rocks on the edge of the Coorong lagoon. Again further up
>the road we were surprised to see 5 Brush Bronzewings feeding with 2 Common
>Bronzewing Pigeons. The former being more smaller and rufous in colours
>behind the nape and back.
>
>We made another visit to the Malleefowl mound and saw a Purple-gaped
>Honeyeater nearby.
>
>We bumped into John Seemour from the Zoology department of Adelaide
>University who was studying the Bristlebirds at the Coorong the time we were
>there. He says, one of the best places to see these birds is at the Port
>Campbell in Victoria, were they run all over the car park there.
>
>DAY 7 - 7th NOVEMBER 1998 (THE COORONG - BOOL LAGOON - BORDERTOWN -LOXTON)
>
>We decided to move on from the Coorong that day, but before we left, there
>was one more highlight there. A flock of atleast 5000 Banded Stilts
>(containing a few juvenile birds) with smaller numbers of Red-necked Avocets
>gathering together on a small island in the middle of the Coorong Lagoon.
>With the tide rising, the Stilts had left the island at the last minute
>before it was too deep for them. What an impressive sight they were.
>
>We then headed to Bool Lagoon after being told it is often a good place for
>water birds and is of significance to South Australia's waterfowl. We found
>a number of Magpie Geese there, aswell as Whiskered Terns, large numbers of
>Sacred and Straw-necked Ibis, several Musk Ducks and 4 (3 male and 1 female)
>Blue-billed Ducks. I have found these Blue-billed quite retiring compared to
>the other ducks
>and when I disturbed these from the reeds, they dived down and popped up
>until they were further out into the lagoon.
>
>In the Naracoorte area, we saw and heard Forest Ravens and saw 4 Long-billed
>Corellas.
>
>On our way to Loxton, where we intended to stay for the night (not far from
>the NSW and VIC borders), we saw another Malleefowl feeding beside the road
>(beside Ngarkat Conservation Park), an unexpected find.
>
>DAY 8 - 8th NOVEMBER 1998 (LOXTON - MILDURA)
>
>Not much birding was done on this day as we were tired from the past week.
>All we did was move between 2 caravan parks from Loxton to Mildura. On our
>way we did see flowering Silky Oaks with many Little Friarbirds and
>Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters and some attractive red-flowering gums attracting
>White-plumed and White-fronted Honeyeaters. Also between the 2 towns a flock
>of atleast 300 Little Corellas were seen.
>
>DAY 9 - 9th NOVEMBER 1998 (MILDURA - MUNGO NP - BROKEN HILL)
>
>We visited Mungo National Park via Harry Nanya Tours (an Aboriginal run
>touring company), departing from the Mildura Tourist Information Centre.
>This was sort of a break from birding, but not completely as we saw some
>good birds to and within the National Park. We saw an Inland Dotterel beside
>the road, just north of Wentworth, but the bus would not stop for us to have
>a longer look. We also saw and heard Red-backed Kingfishers and our first
>Little Crows for the trip.
>
>On the "Walls of China" within Mungo NP, we were shown the remains of a
>Hairy-nosed Wombat, Betongs, and believe it or not, the Tasmanian Tiger (now
>I can say I have seen one, well atleast some of its bones). We were also
>shown the historic wool shed which was constructed of locally hand cut
>Cypress pine (white-ant resistant) logs. We also saw remains of a Rabbit
>proof fence which unfortunately has not prevented the Rabbits to spread
>further inland.
>
>Later that afternoon, after returning back to Mildura, we were ready for our
>next main part of our birding trip into more inland country around Broken
>Hill.
>
>On our way there, along the Silver City HWY, we stopped at a good stand of
>Sheoak woodland and soon heard and saw our first White-browed Treecreepers.
>They were a shade darker than the Brown Treecreeper, with a very distinct
>eye brow and heavy streaks on the underside. Its calls are also quite
>distinctive and softer compared to that of the Brown Treecreepers. After
>having satisfying views of these birds, and walking back towards the car, I
>had just missed an aggressive Eastern Brown Snake as it hissed after I
>walked over its log. I hadn't noticed it until David told me seconds latter.
>It was about 5 foot long.
>
> A little further up the road, we saw our first Chestnut-crowned Babblers
>which we soon found to be quite common around the Broken Hill area. What I
>also like to note that the Blue Bonnets in this part of the country are
>different than those seen earlier in the trip, with no red on vent (but
>yellow) and shoulders, being a different subspecies altogether.
>
>Along the Silver City HWY, as it got darker, we had to be extra conscious
>concerning the roadside as hundreds of Kangaroos attempted to cross the road
>and yes, we had 2 near misses. We felt relieved that night upon arriving in
>Broken Hill that we didn't hit one. However we could not avoid driving
>through a plague of insects up that stretch of road, with lots of insect fat
>marks all along the windscreen.
>
>DAY 10 - 10th NOVEMBER 1998 (BROKEN HILL - KINCHEGA NP - MOOTWINGEE NP)
>
>Set out that morning straight to Kinchega National Park along the Menindee
>Rd. On our way we spotted some Chestnut-crowned Babblers beside the Road and
>wanted to get a better look a them, soon later I heard another new bird for
>the trip across the road, Chirruping Wedgebills. We found the Wedgebills
>quite common around Broken Hill and further north. They were usually seen in
>groups of upto 30 birds and often with the Chestnut-crowned Babblers. This
>was one of my favourite birds of the trip. Its amazing how such a bird can
>sing nicely almost non-stop on top of the low bushes. We also found it quite
>curious at times and approached us through squeaking.
>
>At Kinchega National Park, we disturbed an Owlet Nightjar beside Menindee
>Lake, which was full of water after good rains in the area. This rain cut
>off the road from Ivanhoe to Menindee. This was originally our planned route
>to Broken Hill, but just as well we stuck to the Bitumen along the Silver
>City HWY. There were several water birds in the lake itself including quite
>a few Australian Shelducks, but being so large, most waterbirds may have
>been at the other end of the lake which was not accessible. We had some good
>finds around the lakes including my first Black-breasted Buzzard (seen
>soaring above the trees), a pair of White-backed Swallows perched in a small
>dead tree at eye level and 8 Black-tailed Native Hens.
>
>At one of the lakes we saw several Emus with both Red and Western Grey
>Kangaroos drinking beside the lake. We saw, what I thought might of been a
>large Wombat lying on dry mud beside the lake and only got the back view of
>it. Having not seen a Wombat before, David was keen to have a closer look.
>Upon David getting closer to it, the beast woke up and took off in a hurry,
>with David very surprised as it turned out to be one of a few Wild Pigs
>attracted to the water.
>
>After making a brief visit to the Pub at Menindee were Bourke and Wills had
>stayed, we then drove up to Mootwingee. On our way I saw 2 male Redthroats
>beside the road among more Wedgebills and Chestnut-crowned Babblers.
>
>Just a few kilometres up the road, we stopped at an area of Bluebush and
>played the call of the Rufous Fieldwren (Calamanthus). One popped up in no
>time and came rushing towards us and walking a few metres in front of us. It
>later climbed one of the bushes and started to sing. In response, a
>Redthroat was seen and started to call on top of another bush as if it had
>some competition with the Fieldwren. Further on we saw several Crimson
>Chats, Banded Lapwings, 3 Australian Pratincoles and a Black Falcon perched
>on the ground beside the road, only a couple of metres from the car.. The
>Falcon was unusually, quite approachable. We also saw a group of no less
>than 6 Wedge-tailed Eagles sharing a Kangaroo carcass beside this stretch of
>road .
>
>Upon the arrival at Mootwingee National Park that night, we were constantly
>mobbed by a swarm of insects attracted to us and our torch light as we set
>up our tents. There were insects of every type - Moths, Beetles, Dragon
>Flies, Mozzies and 10 inch Stick insects. This was the most unpleasant night
>of the trip and neither of us had such an encounter of this swarm of insects
>in our life. Just when we were just about to doze off in our tents, a storm
>soon brewed with fierce winds, fearing that both of our tents would be blown
>away but fortunately didn't.
>
>DAY 11 - 11th NOVEMBER 1998 (MOOTWINGEE NP)
>
>The morning started off fairly fine and we started off early in our search
>for the Halls Babblers supposably found in the area about Homestead Creek
>Gorge. I saw a small number of Little Woodswallows flying about and perching
>in trees, and saw both Chestnut-crowned and White-browed Babblers but not
>any Halls Babblers. We saw a Pair of Peregrine Falcons calling from the
>cliffs as if trying to distract us away. The female made short circular
>flights as it called, meaning that it may have been defending its nest area
>.
>
>Quite soon and unexpected the rain came and set in and we spent a few hours
>walking in the rain. We soon found that we unexpectedly chose one of the
>most challenging walks. Unexpectedly, we had to abseil down a cliff and walk
>through narrow gorges with water below.
>
>On arrival back to the camping spot, we confronted two rangers, who gave us
>the news that all roads to Mootwingee were cut off with last nights rain and
>we were stranded in the Park. They said that anyone who attempted to leave
>the area would risk a fine of about $4000. We knew that such a fine and the
>expected road conditions, would not be worth it. This however, then allowed
>me another opportunity to look for the Halls Babbler. One of the two rangers
>told me that he had seen the Halls Babbler on the Western Ridge. I did go
>looking in that area later, but unfortunately I had no luck again in finding
>it and despite a long walk on the ridge. It was a tick that we should have
>deserved, as we walked along most of the ridges tops in that area through
>habitat favoured by this Babbler.
>
>DAY 12 - 12th NOVEMBER 1998 (MOOTWINGEE NP - COBAR)
>
>We hoped that we could leave the area that morning, as more rain could make
>us stranded for several days as the heavy clouds looked quite threatening.
>Near the campsite that morning, I saw a group of 6 Pink Cockatoos fly over
>aswell as some Diamond Doves and a lone Budgerigar.
>
>Soon that morning, we were given the all clear to leave, and in no time, we
>were on our way back on the bitumen. On our way back, we saw 3 Black Falcons
>perched alongside the road (all quite approachable at a reasonable distance)
>and a male Orange Chat.
>
>After driving back to Broken Hill, we decided to head for Cobar. As David
>wanted to take a road side nap beside the road in an area between Broken
>Hill and Wilcannia, I got out of the car and investigated the bird activity.
>I saw large numbers of over 100 Crimson Chats over the hillside, together
>with lots of other small birds, hundreds of Woodswallows, Wedgebills and
>Chestnut-crowned Babblers.
>
>After passing through Wilcannia, we approached the Talyawalka flood plain,
>which was really flooded a full of birds. Here we saw hundreds of
>Black-tailed Native Hens with lots of chicks running along and beside the
>road with the adults, a pair of Freckled Ducks, several Pink-eared and Teal
>with young (the forner ducklings had bills reminiscent to their parents), 2
>Red-necked Avocets and several Whiskered Terns.
>
>After 500 km of driving that day, we finally made it to Cobar.
>
>DAY 13 - 13th NOVEMBER 1998 (COBAR - FORBES)
>
>Spent the morning looking for Chestnut-breasted Quail-thrushes beside the
>Towns Waste Depot there in Mulga woodland with stony ground. These birds
>have been seen there in the past but unfortunately did not show up for us.
>However, we did great views of Spotted Bowerbirds that came to us rather
>than vice versa.
>
>After lunch, we decided to make another visit to Round Hill to get 2 birds
>that we missed previously, both the Grey-fronted Honeyeater and Red-lored
>Whistler but unfortunately could not find. We did however find a large flock
>of more than 300 Budgerigars feeding beside the road north of Mount Hope. A
>Peregrine was also seen snatching a dead one from the middle of the road as
>we were watching the live ones.
>
>On our way to Forbes, and passing Lake Cargelligo, we saw a pair of Spotted
>Harriers fly over the road.
>
>DAY 14 - 14th NOVEMBER 1998 (FORBES - SYDNEY)
>
>We made a brief visit to Gum Swamp, just out of Forbes with a male
>Blue-billed Duck seen briefly, a Darter feeding 2 chicks on its nest, very
>close up views of Pink-eared Ducks and their ducklings from the bird hide, a
>pair of White-bellied Sea-eagles and a hundreds of nesting Pacific
>(White-necked) Herons with some fledged young.
>
>Upon arriving back at home, the most exciting part of the trip arrived -
>washing the car.
>
>
>Overall, we travelled a distance of more than 5700 kilometres, covering a
>lot of NSW's west, north-west VIC and south-east SA. And had an enjoyable
>and relatively safe birding trip with a good touch of adventure.
>
>I thank everyone who provided me with information for this trip. I have
>found all the information given to me to be very helpful.
>
>Until the next big adventure....
>
>
>P.S. Trip list enclosed below
>
>
> <<MURRAY - DARLING AREA TRIP LIST NOV 1998.xls>>
>
>
>
>
>Attachment Converted: H:\EUDORA\ATTACH\MURRAY-D.xls
>
Tony Russell
Ph: 08 82078470W
08 83375959H
Fax:08 82078422
e mail:
|
