HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE NSWFOC GUNDERBOOKA NATIONAL PARK BIRD SURVEY
23 MARCH To 2 APRIL 2000
Gunderbooka National Park is located between Cobar and Bourke
in north-western NSW, being about 40 km south of Bourke on the bitumen sealed
Kidman Way. The Park consists of three former grazing properties of Belah, Ben
Lomond & Mulgowan, and covers an area of about 160 ha.Eight members of the
Club took part in this survey which resulted in over 100 two hectare 20 minute
surveys and 500m radius surveys being carried out. NPWS Wildlife Atlas Cards and
Birds Australia Atlas Sheets were completed for each survey point. In the two
months prior to the visit over 150 mm of rain had been recorded so that area was
very green, all creeks were running, and a number of small lakes had formed
around some farm dams and swampy depressions. There was plenty of long grass and
the countryside had responded well to the rain, particularly the mulga woodland
and the grass plains. Unfortunately it rained on and off during our stay at
Gunderbooka making some areas impossible to reach. The rain meant that a number
of birds had recommenced breeding so that the air was full of song and birds
were very common. Prior to the visit the Park bird list was already a healthy
121 species and we were able to add another15 species, bringing the list to 136.
Those people taking part were Philip Brook (Leader), Charlie
Andrews, John McLennan, Barry Ayres and friend, Robert Powell, Ted Nixon and
Alan Morris.
Highlights of the trip included:
Brown Quail seen in long grass at 4 sites, unusual
location.
Square-tailed Kite 1 Claypan Tk 27/3 & 1 Dry tank 30/3
Black Kite Only one seen which is surprising
Brown Goshawk Seen at 4 sites.
Collared Sparrowhawk Seen at 3 sites.
Wedge-tailed Eagle Seen at 7 sites
Little Eagle seen at 2 sites
Australian Hobby seen twice
Peregrine Falcon 1 seen which is surprising considering the
number of high cliffs.
Baillon’s Crake 1 Twelve Mile tank 26/3
Little Button-quail 1 Creek Lease tank 29/3 in long grass
Bar-shouldered Dove seen at 4 sites, western edge of NSW
range
Red-rumped Parrot Small numbers at 2 sites on the eastern edge
of the Park.
Budgerigar 2 small flocks seen which was surprising.
Pallid Cuckoo Seen at 3 sites, generally not calling.
Fan-tailed Cuckoo 1 at Belah HSD 2/4.
Black-eared Cuckoo seen at 11 sites, relatively common in the
Park.
Barking Owl 1 Creek Lease tank 2/4
Owlet Nightjar Flushed from tree hollows at four sites.
Fork-tailed Swift 4+ on Belah HSD 24/3 b
White-throated Needletail 1+ Belah HSD on 24/3
Sacred Kingfisher seen at 16 sites so that movement northwards
had been delayed.
White-browed Treecreeper 3 Little Mountain 30/3, 1 NW of Belah
HSD 31/3, 4 8km S Belah HSD 1/4 & 5 Buckleys tank 1/4
Splendid Fairy-wren Seen at six sites in suitable habitat.
Painted Honeyeater 2 Ben Lomond HS tk 29/3, 1 Ernies tank 29/3
& 1 Belah HSD 1/4
Brown Honeyeater seen at 7 sites, western edge of its NSW
range.
Eastern Yellow Robin 1 Road lease tank 29/3-2/4. Gunderbooka is
its north-west limit!
Hall’s Babbler 5 Belah HSD Creek area 23/3, 6 Road Lease tank
29/3 & 2/4
Chestnut-breasted Quail-thrush 2 at Days Tank 26/3 & 4 3km
NW Belah HSD 2/4.
Ground Cuckoo-shrike 4 Days tank 26/3, 5 at Road Lease Tank
29/3 & 2/4
Olive-backed Oriole 1 at Ben Lomond tank 25/3, a " good season"
visitor only.
Masked Woodswallow 1 only at Belah HSD 28/3, many many
White-brows!
Little Woodswallow 2 small groups near the Gunderbooka
Range.
Double-banded Finch Small flocks at 7 sites, western edge of
range in NSW
Plum-headed Finch 9 Poppawanna Tank 2/4 & 4 Boots Tank 3/4,
very unexpected!
Diamond Firetail 1 Roadlease tank 29/3, another "good season"
visitor only
White-backed Swallow 2 Coolibah Tank 26/3 & 2 Pineview tank
26/3
Additional Birds as follows: Emu, Grey Teal, Pacific Black
Duck, Australian Wood Duck, Pink-eared Duck, Hoary-headed Grebe, Australasian
Grebe, Little Pied Cormorant, White-necked heron, White-faced heron, Brown
falcon, Nankeen Kestrel, Eurasian Coot, Black-fronted Dotterel, Peaceful Dove,
Crested Pigeon, Common Bronzewing, Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo, Galah, Cockatiel,
Red-winged Parrot, Mallee Ringneck, Budgerigar, Mulga parrot, Horsfield’s
Bronze-Cuckoo, Southern Boobook, Laughing Kookaburra, Sacred Kingfisher, Rainbow
Bee-eater, Brown Treecreeper, Variegated Fairy-wren, Inland Thornbill,
Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Yellow Thornbill, Chestnut-rumped Thornbill, Southern
Whiteface, Western Gerygone, Straited Pardalote, Weebill, Spiny-cheeked
Honeyeater, Blue-faced Honeyeater, White-plumed Honeyater, Singing Honeyeater,
Yellow-throated Miner, Brown-headed Honeyeater, Little Friarbird, White-fronted
Honeyeater, Striped Honeyeater, Jacky Winter, Red-capped Robin,
Chrestnut-crowned Babbler, Grey-crowned Babbler, White-browed Babbler, Varied
Sitella, Grey Shrike-thrush, Crested Bellbird, Rufous Whistler, Magpielark,
Restless Flycatcher, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike,
White-winged Triller, White-breasted Woodswallow, White-browed Woodswallow, Pied
Butcherbird, Grey Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Little Crow, Australian Raven,
White-winged Chough, Apostlebird, Spotted Bowerbird, Zebra Finch, Mistletoebird,
Welcome Swallow, Tree Martin, Rufous Songlark.
