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Late September we did a short trip, visiting relatives and
friends and a little birding along the way.
We went to Toowoomba, Leyburn, (overnight half way to
Kalara), Coolmunda Dam (overnight) Inglewood, Texas, Sundown NP (overnight),
Bonshaw, Ashford, Kwiambal NP (2 nights), Inverell, (overnight half way to Glen
Innes), Old Grafton Rd (overnight in Mann River Nature Reserve), Grafton,
Glenreagh (overnight on road to Woolgoolga), Coffs Harbour & then
onto
Nambucca Heads and then straight back up highway.
Sundown NP (we were in the conventional vehicle end) only
stayed one night here and did a short walk in the afternoon to the
rockpool. Sundown is a lovely under-developed park and I want to return,
it was rather hot when we were there. There are no graded paths here but
the one walk we did to the rockpool was well marked (and well trod). There
were only two others camped here even though it was school holidays, maybe dry
conditions scared people off. The walks (about 4) were all follow creek,
etc.
Kwiambal NP, established in 2000. was made up from
reserves - Ashford Caves, McIntyre Falls, etc. Lovely spot, been here
years ago. Not many walks developed, but we did all of them (about 11km in
total) on the one day. The weather still hot though slightly cooler but
more humid (storms gathering)
Old Grafton Rd, lovely drive - follows Mann
River where there were heaps of callistemons in bloom, attracting heaps of Noisy
Friar Birds, Rainbow Lorikeets and Scarlet Honeyeaters. Many campsites
along here (all being utilised) Had a good look at a tailed cupid - now
its called orange-tipped pea-blue.
my highlights were,
Laidley -
Striped honeyeater (first I've seen for a little while)
Leyburn area:
sub-adult pallid cuckoo, flock of 200+ masked & white-browed woodswallows,
red-winged parrots, musk & little lorikeets, speckled warblers, diamond
firetails, inland thornbill.
Coolmunda Dam (near Inglewood). close look at
pink-eared ducks feeding. white-winged fairy wren (eclipse), rufous
songlark.
Sundown NP - Turquoise Parrot, speckled warbler, weebill building
nest, and
just south of Sundown - white-winged triller.
NSW/Qld Border
near Mole River - white-backed swallow, rufous songlark
Kwiambal NP -
Channel-billed Cuckoo & Dollarbird (first for season),
Turquoise Parrot,
white-bellied cuckoo shrike (dark morph), inland thornbill, a few glimpses of a
white-browed babbler (frustrating - not at all obliging)
Bald Nob area (east
of Glen Innes) - red-browed treecreeper, varied sittella, (nominate race - may
have been an immature)
Mann River Nature Reserve (Mitchell township campsite)
lovely spot, Azure Kingfisher fishing, brown-headed honeyeaters
Grafton -
Cowan Ponds: Jabiru pair, pink-eared ducks, red-kneed dotterels. white-winged
triller
Glenreagh-Woolgoolga Rd - superb lyrebird (heard only).
Saw 172
birds in total
Jan Bedwell
Mapleton, Qld
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