Black Honeyeaters near Lockhart

["Matthew Herring" <>]

 G'day Birders,

Two weeks ago on Sunday 8/9 Damian Michael, Scott Lucas and myself found one male Black Honeyeater at Galore Hill Scenic Reserve, 15 km north of Lockhart, which is west of Wagga Wagga, southern NSW. Yesterday I returned with my twin sisters, Jane and Jessica, to the same few planted eucalypts (near the interpretation sign) that are flowering and after a while we found 3 Black Honeyeaters (2M & 1F). Phillip Seely, long-time Albury birdwatcher, has seen them here once before many years ago so perhaps it is a regular drought refuge. Two weeks ago it was mainly the Noisy Friarbirds who hassled them but yesterday it was the White-plumed Honeyeaters. Also present here at Galore Hill were Dusky (~10), Masked (2+) and White-browed Woodswallows (50+), a Diamond Firetail, Red-capped Robins, Jacky Winters, Rufous Whistlers, Apostlebirds and numerous others. On the way up to Lockhart from Albury we were delighted to find a stunning Spotted Harrier, perched about th ree metres from the car near Pleasant Hills. There was the mandatory pair of Brolgas (near Walbundrie) for my visiting sisters. White-winged Trillers (8+), Olive-backed Orioles, Rufous Whistlers, Western Gerygones, Rainbow Bee-eaters and Little Friarbirds were all back in force at the Walbundrie Hills, along with approx. 100 White-browed Woodswallows, and a couple of Dusky and Masked as well. A quick stop at the Wirraminna Environmental Education Centre, Burrumbuttock yielded a Horsfield?s Bronze-Cuckoo and 50+ White-browed Woodswallows, with at least 5 Masked. There are still small numbers (up to 10) of Swift Parrots being observed in the Albury, Walbundrie and Bungowannah (in btn. Howlong and Jindera) areas.

Cheers, Matt Herring ? Albury, NSW.

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