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birding-aus GLOUCESTER TOPS AND COPELAND TOPS AREA - 13 TO 14TH MARCH 19

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Subject: birding-aus GLOUCESTER TOPS AND COPELAND TOPS AREA - 13 TO 14TH MARCH 1999
From: "EDWIN VELLA" <>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 1999 20:18:46 +1000

GLOUCESTER TOPS AND COPELAND TOPS AREA - 13 TO 14TH MARCH 1999

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

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