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G'day all,
After a time at Gluepot, I travelled to the Pink
Lakes - Sunset National Park in North West Victoria. The area was decked in its
Spring finery, and the lakes truly glowed pink and the colour of the Jacaranda's
that will soon be flowering in Brisbane. In the open areas grasses and flowering
herbs made a wonderful mat of colour and texture, from silver grey to bronze and
copper tonings of the various grass seeds. There were seeding Cranesbill as well
as Wild Mustard, and this was attracting a lot of the parrots. There were flocks
of up to twenty Major Mitchell Cockatoos, as well as Ringnecks, Blue Bonnets,
Galahs, Cockatiel, Budgerigar and Red-rump Parrots. It was great to
regularly see a flock of about 10 Blue-winged Parrots feeding and roosting in an
open area within the Mallee.
There were almost a great a variety of birds as at
Gluepot - I saw about ninety species, but no where the numbers. I usually pick
up the little Mallee Emu-wren, but though I hunted it carefully in its usual
haunts, it did not put in an appearance. (Does it go quiet and secretive during
breeding in Spring?) The Striated Grasswrens were also very quiet. I saw only
one, but it was a good find for it was nesting. There were also Shy Heathwrens
and Southern Scrub-robins, but no Malleefowl to be seen. In past years I have
seen a small flock of Chestnut-crowned Babblers, but they have been conspicuous
by their absence.
There had been recent light rains, and some fresh
water pools were to be found that attracted various water birds.
I also visited several reserves close by to
the Pink Lakes, and found that there was a good selection of birds to be found
there too. There were some species found in these reserves that were not in the
area of the Pink Lakes.
There was again evidence of breeding, and of the
presence of inland birds such as the Cockatiels, Red-rumped Kingfisher and
Crimson Chats. A mice plague is underway in the area, and there were large
numbers of Black-shouldered Kites. We kept a look out for Letter-wing Kites, but
they either have not yet heard of the mice, or the conditions are too good
inland for them.
The bird list for the time at this great area is as
follows:
Emu - b
Stubble Quail
Australian Shelduck
Australian Wood Duck
Pacific Black Duck
Great Cormorant
White-faced Heron
Straw-necked Ibis
Yellow-billed Spoonbill
Black-shouldered kite
Spotted Harrier - b
Brown Goshawk
Wedge-tailed Eagle
Little Eagle
Brown Falcon
Australian Hobby
Black Falcon
Peregrine Falcon - b
Nankeen Kestrel
Little Button-quail
Painted Button-quail
Black-winged Stilt
Banded Stilt (All but one immatures or in non
breeding plumage)
Banded Lapwing
Masked Lapwing - b
Silver Gull
Rock Dove
Common Bronzewing
Crested Pigeon
Peaceful Dove
Galah - b
Major Mitchell's Cockatoo
Cockatiel
Australian Ringneck
Blue Bonnet
Red-rumped Parrot
Mulga Parrot - b
Budgerigar
Blue winged Parrot
Pallid Cuckoo
Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo
Southern Boobook
Australian Owlet Nightjar
Red-backed Kingfisher
Rainbow Bee-eater
White-browed Treecreeper
Brown Treecreeper
Splendid Fairy-wren
Variegated Fairy-wren
Striated Grasswren - b
Spotted Pardalote
Striated Pardalote - b
Shy Heathwren
Weebill
Inland Thornbill
Chestnut-rumped Thornbill - b
Yellow-rumped Thornbill
Yellow Thornbill
Southern Whiteface
Red Wattlebird
Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater
Striped Honeyeater
Yellow-throated Miner
Singing Honeyeater
White-eared Honeyeater
Yellow-plumed Honeyeater
Brown-headed Honeyeater
Crimson chat
White-fronted chat
Jacky Winger
Red-capped Robin
Hooded Robin
Southern Scrub-robin
White-browed Babbler
Chestnut Quail-thrush
Varied Sittella
Crested Bellbird
Rufous Whistler
Grey Shrike-thrush
Restless Flycatcher
Magpie-lark
Willie Wagtail
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
White-winged Triller
Masked Woodswallow - b
White-browed Woodswallow - b
Black-faced Woodswallow
Grey Butcherbird
Australian Magpie - b
Grey Currawong
Australian Raven
Little Raven
White-winged Chough
Apostlebird - b
Singing Bushlark
Richard's Pipit
House Sparrow
Welcome Swallow
Tree Martin
Rufous Songlark
Brown Songlark
Common Starling
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