Starting at the Wetlands in Sale where birds, both big & small, abound. We
started our tour list with the most usual birds and included, Golden-headed
Cisticola, Superb Wrens (they were prolific at every stop) and all the water
birds. Next stop was Lake Tyer,s parrots & Rosellas were a great attraction.
A walk along the Burnt Bridge Track found Lewin's & White-naped Honeyeaters,
Eastern Yellow Robins, White-browed Scrubwrens, Bell Miners & Crested
Shrike-tits. Travelling on we left the Highway near Orbost and travelled
beside the Snowy River to its mouth at Marlo, then on to Cape Conran and
stayed at the Burbang Caravan Park, ideal for bird-watchers, about 65 sited
in very natural bushland added Jacky Winters, Bassian Thrush and
Yellow-Tailed Cockatoos to the list. There were delightful walks in the
area, Frenches Narrows, Yeerung River and along the beach at the Cape, wrens
and Tasmanian Silver eyes were busy but not a Pilot Bird. The road from
Conran to Cabbage Tree was most pleasant in the early morning. We picked up
a brochure Lakes &Wilderness East Gippsland - Best Walks Along Princes
Highway- : www.lakesandwilderness.com.au and went on the McKenzie River
Walk (much evidence of lyre birds) and the Mt Drummer Walk were well worth
the stops. Had lunch at Genoa under the gaze of a Wedge-tailed Eagle before
arriving at Mallacoota via Gipsy Point. There are very good details of
walks around Mallacoota and all are worthwhile. We walked from Buckland
Jetty along the Narrows and were amazed to see an Owlet Nightjar on a
branch at about head level. Soon after there was a cormorant which was
hanging from fishing line in a scrub. We added Azure Kingfisher, Whistling
& Black-shoulder Kites, Eastern Whipbirds, Sooty & Pied Oystercatchers,
Satin Bowerbirds, on the Heathland walk we saw Eastern Spinebills
&Tawny-crowned Honeyeaters but unfortunately no Emu-wrens. On the sand flats
from Stephenson's Point were Godwits and Eastern Curlews. Stopped at
Double-arm Walking Track and it seemed devoid of birds. Our morning tea
stop was just over the N.S.W. border and Red-browed Treecreepers were added
.At Eden a juvenile Wandering Albatross was stranded on a rock, gannets
could be seen diving for fish and a few Crested Terns. At Haycocks Point
had the best view ever of a Sea-eagle and soon after a Peregrine Falcon, at
Severs Beach a Striated Heron was lurking. On to Tathra, we crossed the
Bega River and wet along the track to Moon Bay,& Nelson Beach. Just below
a sign post to the " Lagoon" were a couple of Eastern Whipbirds scratching
about , one was leg tagged yellow on the left leg and green on the right.
Someone doing research may be interested. Before leaving we did the Tathra
Forest Walk from Dilkera saw another Scarlet Robin and a Fan-tailed cuckoo.
All too soon my trip was over. I was grateful for the notes prepared by
Susan & Alan Robertson after they left Gipsy Point Lodge, and Barbara Jones
from Merimbula who put green stickers on a map of the Sapphire Coast. We
saw 90 different species on our trip.
Shirley Cameron, Werribee ,
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
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