G'day all
I spent a few hours in the Grampians (western Victorian mountain range
and forested plains) this afternoon. First stop was in the Black Range
State Park. A favourite area of mine for some of the drier country
birds. Always used to get a few Hooded Robins here but not for a decade
or so now. I looked in a new patch today and it had the right habitat
and species such as Scarlet Robins, Jacky Winters and Buff-rumped
Thornbills but no Hooded Robins. I'd be interested in any sightings
from the Grampians. Surely they can't have disappeared. Otherwise 34
species including heaps of honeyeaters and Little Lorikeets.
Another 30 odd species at Cherrypool (where the Glenelg River crosses
the Henty Highway). The bird hides appear to have been dismantled here
but lots of waterbirds were visible from the main picnic area. A pair
of Darters were perched in a large red gum and 25 Spoonbills (21
Yellow-billed and 5 Royal) were snoozing on an island. A few each of
Hoary-headed and Australian Grebes were in the same pool. One each of
White-faced Heron, White-necked Heron, Great Egret and Emu were wading
in the shallows.
On the way home I called into the large treeless heathland south of the
Billywing turnoff. Always reliable for Tawny-crowned Honeyeaters and
today was no exception. Striated Fieldwrens were calling from the heath
but they didn't show themselves.
Listened to Tim Flannery (Paleontologist and SA museum director) in the
Hamilton Library last night. Most enteresting and well delivered talk
on the early mammals fauna of the Hamilton district. He began his
career with field work here. Apparently it used to support tropical
vegetation and mammals now found only in Cape York and New Guinea (Tree
Kangaroos for instance). Another period was colder and had plant and
mammal species closely related to current alpine species. Nothing about
birds from those times unfortunately because their bones don't fossilise
as well apparently.
Cheers
Steve Clark
Hamilton, Victoria
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
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