I've just spent three days in the Capertee Valley (on the NSW central
tablelands) leading a group of six other birders who came from places as
diverse as the Blue Mountains, Sydney, Orange and even Cairns. After a very
quiet winter in the valley, bird numbers have picked up well even though
there is still no significant flowering anywhere, and we ended up with a
total of 113 species. Grove Cottage was a very comfortable base for the
group with good birds close to the cottage and spectacular views of Red
Rocks aglow with the setting sun.
As Timothy Hyde posted earlier in the week, there are HUGE numbers of
White-browed and Masked Woodswallows throughout the valley. For three days
as my group and I travelled all around the valley there was nowhere their
distinctive calls could not be heard. In places the sky was a spiralling
mass of these wonderful, charismatic birds and the treetops filled with
their activity. It was interesting to see a relatively large proportion of
these were Masked (compared to most years) although the majority were still
White-browed.
Regent Honeyeaters have returned in small numbers, and despite the poor
conditions away from the coast this season, we found several pairs which
seem to have set up territories along the river at a regular breeding site.
This is where there is a small amount of flowering mistletoe in the river
oaks, although the drought has killed off much of this mistletoe. We also
found a pair well away from the river near a dam in the northern section of
the valley, with nothing at all flowering in the vicinity.
Other highlights included Turquoise Parrots at three different locations, a
pair of Musk Lorikeets and several Brown Quail at Glen Alice, a single
Australasian Shoveler on the Goollooinboin dam, Rainbow Bee-eaters in many
places, Rufous Songlarks in full song and display, Red-browed Treecreeper
heard near Glen Davis, Striped Honeyeaters, and many of the other Capertee
Valley "specials" like Hooded Robins, Southern Whitefaces, Speckled
Warblers, Black-chinned Honeyeaters, etc. Many birds were either building
nests or feeding young and these included Western Gerygone, Diamond
Firetail, Dusky Woodswallow, White-winged Chough, Superb Fairy-wren, Fairy
Martin, etc. Male Mistletoebirds furiously chased each other within inches
of our noses and totally oblivious to us. A Barking Owl called in the
daytime from somewhere on or near Timothy & Lynda's property. The only
really hoped-for birds that we missed were Plum-headed Finch and
White-backed Swallow - but I guess you can never have everything!
We also had some nice views of reptiles including Bearded Dragons, Lace
Monitors and the beautiful Bell's form of the Lace Monitor.
By the way, anyone thinking of camping at Glen Davis this weekend - best to
think again! Apparently there is a big reunion organised with over 450
people attending so I doubt there will even be standing room at the camping
area.
Cheers
Carol
Carol Probets
Katoomba
Blue Mountains NSW
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