Four weeks ago we spent 6 nights camping in
the Little River Gorge in East Gippsland whilst surveying for the last remaining
colonies of the Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies in Victoria. Probably only 10 or so
left in the wild but that's another story. The days were all warm and sunny, the
nights were cold with ice crystals forming rings around lunar and the camp was
frozen solid in the mornings. Red Wattles, Twiggy Daisy Bush (White and Purple
varieties) and Mint Bush were in bloom adding some colour to the slopes of the
gorge. We heard a Powerful Owl on one occasion and were regularly serenaded each
evening by Owlet Nightjars. We encountered two Lyrebird nests which
were occupied by fair sized chicks. The chicks let out an
extremely loud chirp as we passed by which when close to one's ear was
quite startling. One again has to wonder how they don't all get eaten by the
suite of predators inhabiting the gorge, wild dogs, foxes, feral cats,
spot-tailed quolls, goannas etc. One thing in their favour is the bulky
collection of sticks which forms the nest resembled all the other debris
which is perched atop the rock ledges. It is dry rainshadow woodland in the
gorge which also stretches north to the border including the Suggan Buggan
valley (Philip Veerman mentioned this location some time ago). It is tough
environment and not one that would be considered typical of Lyrebird
habitat. Their display mounds are usually heaps of not too small rocks perched
precariously on the steep slopes. They, and other birds such as Pied Currawongs
have this curious habit of hurtling down the mountains just above the treetops
with the wings and tails flapping madly behind, seemingly out of control.
The rush of air creates quite a loud sound as they hurtle past and you can
certainly hear them coming (I may have mentioned this before), it is quite a
spectacular air show. Some other birds observed on the trip.
Superb Fairy Wren
Striated Thornbill
White-eared Honeyeater
Crescent Honeyeater (Nests were found in grass
tussocks at the base of shrubs)
Pied Currawong
White-browed Scrubwren
Grey Fantail
Golden Whistler
Yellow-faced Honeyeater
Spotted Pardalote (Very common)
Australian Raven
Brwon Thornbill
White-throated Treecreeper
Kookaburra
Wonga Pigeon
Owlet Nightjar
White-naped Honeyeater
Eastern Spinebill
Crimson Rosella
Grey Shrike-thrush
Southern Boobook Owl
Wood Duck
Powerful Owl
Grey Butcherbird
Silvereye
Welcome Swallow
King Parrot
