Spent 24 hours over the weekend in the Barrington Tops area situated in the
Hunter area, just north-west of Newcastle and only 3 and ½ hours drive
from Sydney. I was accompanied by David Koffel and Dean Portelli who like myself
wanted a bit of relaxation and good birding. These 2 and the beautiful weather
was a blessing.
We arrived at the Gloucester Tops camping area about mid-day on Saturday
13th and soon set up camp for the night before heading up the road
for some good birding. On the winding road to the Tops we drove through mainly
warm-temperate Rainforest and Wet Sclerophyll Forest seeing a male Paradise
Riflebird on our way. We walked through the beautiful Antarctic Beach Forest
and had great views of a male Olive Whistler which generally kept low
amongst the fer growth and on logs (compared with the smaller Golden Whistlers
which was also present). At one time it was seen creating a fuss with other bush
birds at some marsupial mouse beside a small creek. In the Beach Forest itself a
Rufous Fantail was seen and in the surrounding Alpine woodland 3 Flame
Robins, 3 Bassian Thrush, several Red-browed Tree-creepers and some
Crescent Honeyeaters (which are about the northern limit of their range
here) were also seen. We also enjoyed a 3 km walked to Gloucester Falls which
should be seen if anyone visits the area.
We later walked along a trail off Rumbles road and sighted a Rufous
Scrub-bird. We carefully walked towards the call and squatted down. I
started to do a bit of squeaking and in a few minutes the bird quietly walked
across two logs only 3 metres in front of us (not a hard bird to see after all
!!!).
We droved backed down the road and on our way down we were surprised to see a
Satin Bowerbird feeding after dusk and an Eastern Yellow Robins were its bright
yellow-rump could be picked up in the car headlights. We did a bit of
spotlighting and saw 2 Tawny Frogmouths, Owlet Nightjars and heard
a Southern Boobook. Mammal wise we saw Sugar and Greater Glider, 2 Common
Ring-tailed Possums Red-necked Pademelons, Red-necked Wallabies, a Koala and
several small bats (some even dive bombed me). A Noisy Pitta was also
briefly heard giving its typical "walk-to-work" whistle. At about
10:30 it was time to call it a night.
The next morning we woke up to a wonderful dawn chorus and heard briefly
Glossy Black-cockatoos beside Glocester River and a Bassian Thrush.
We soon headed off toward Copeland Tops to more Sub-Tropical Rainforest
habitat. On our way we saw a adult male Collared Sparrow-hawk mobbed by
Noisy Miners and Pied Butcherbirds; Wedge-tailed Eagle, a male
Cockatiel and Bar-shouldered Dove in road side trees beside
pastoral land.
Birding in and just outside the rainforest around the gold mine at Copeland
Tops was fairly rewarding. Along the rainforest walk we had good views of 3
Russet-tailed Thrush (showing clearly in the sun its short russet-tail
and reduced scalloping on the back), a male Logrunner, a few Rufous
Fantails, a Spectacled Monarch, 2 Green Catbirds, Brush
Turkey, Brown Cuckoo-dove and great views of 2 Wompoo
Fruit-doves at about eye-level only 3 metres in front of us near the start
of the trail. They were actively climbing to snatch some bright yellow fruit
(somewhat like a Pittosporum). A few Regent and several Satin
Bowerbirds and Paradise Riflebirds were also about. Spine-tailed
Swifts were also flying overhead close to the canopy. We then departed back
to Sydney at about noon.
Overall, this 24 hours of birding in the Barrington Tops area has been
amongst my best.
Edwin
