I always reckon the best time to do a rainforest walk is just after rain,
when everything is shiny and dripping, the creeks are really flowing and
the birds seem particularly active. That was certainly the way it was this
morning when I took a small group along the Terrace Falls walk at
Hazelbrook, in the Blue Mountains (NSW). After just one day of rain,
Bedford Creek was roaring along and engulfing the ferns along the banks - a
little surprising considering the very dry conditions which prevailed up
until yesterday.
One of the first birds we heard upon getting out of the car was a Wonga
Pigeon. I'm starting to think these are on the increase in the mountains,
they do seem to be appearing in a lot more places than I remember in the
past. (The Wonga Pigeon which moved into my neighbourhood in Katoomba in
August is still around, calling all day every day, even wonking away as I
type this.)
The warm temperate rainforest of the Blue Mountains tends to be much less
rich in birds than the wet sclerophyll forests. Nevertheless this morning's
walk amongst some beautiful coachwood trees produced a few nice sightings
of rainforest species, including Yellow-throated Scrubwrens feeding young,
and a male Rose Robin which was rather upset by our presence. I'm sure his
mate must have been sitting quietly on a nest somewhere watching us.
Bassian Thrush and Scarlet Honeyeater were heard, but notably absent were
Rufous Fantails and Black-faced Monarchs, both of which were very much in
evidence on our walk last week at Frasers Creek in the lower mountains.
Perhaps they were just keeping a low profile. We also heard and glimpsed a
Red-browed Treecreeper in the smooth upper branches of the peppermint gums
at Carpark 1.
Cheers
Carol
Carol Probets
Katoomba
Blue Mountains NSW
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message
"unsubscribe birding-aus" (no quotes, no Subject line)
to
|
