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Hi Birders,
The weekend of 5-6 April 2003 was the
date for the autumn count for the Birds Australia (SNAG) group Cowra Woodland
Survey. John McLennan & I travelled to Cowra on Friday 4th, to take part in
the survey. Most out-of-area particpants stayed at the Pinetrees Caravan Park on
the southern outskirts of Cowra where we met the organisers that night to
find out which sites we have been allocated to survey. There are about 40 sites
of 2 ha to survey, and most pairs/groups are allocated 4 sites per day to be
done between 8-1100 hrs. 22 people including local landholders and out of area
particpants took part, Birds Australia members coming from the Central Coast,
Sydney, Wollongong and Canberra.
The surveys took place about 3 weeks
after 125 mm of rain fell across the Cowra area so that the area was green and
lush with plenty of long green grass on the roadsides and in the stock
reserves, and the lucerne paddocks had responded well to the rain. Lambing had
commenced and things were looking good, and the days we had for the survey were
mild, fine and sunny, perfect for bird watching!
Highlights for us included seeing
several groups of Superb Parrots, including a flock of 12 birds east of Cowra;
Dusky Woodswallows in a number of places, Crested Shrike-tits in the White Box
and Yellow Box woodlands; good numbers of Apostlebirds to the east and
south-east of Cowra which would be at the eastern edge of their range in this
area; Brown Treecreepers and Peaceful Doves in some of the Yellow Box woodland;
Yellow-tufted Hioneyeaters, Golden & Rufous Whistlers in Conimbla NP; and a
Peregrine Falcon trying to take one of the Rock Doves that live around the
Wattamondara Wheat Silos. On the Monday we saw a Black Kite near the Pinetrees
Caravan Park, found Pinkeared Ducks & Hoary-headed Grebes (but no Freckled
Ducks) at the Cowra STW; saw Yellow-faced Honeyeaters and Noisy Friarbirds
feeding in flowering White Box at the Japanese Gardens where a Brown Goshawk was
busy patrolling. White-browed Babblers were located between Cowra and
Goolooogong, Zebra Finches near the Pinetrees Caravan park, and Pinkears and
Shovelers at the Canowindra STW.
Other participants saw
Chestnut-rumped Heathwren at Bumbaldry and Rose and Scarlet Robins at other
sites. Full details of all species seen are not yet available, but overall we
saw 98 species in the Cowra District and
were able to complete some 22 BA Bird Atlas Sheets. We were pleased to be able
to take part in the survey and look forward to attending the winter survey in
June.
Alan
Morris
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