Trip Report: Croajingolong & South East NSW January 2006
Hi all,
The following is a trip report of Croajingolong NP and South East NSW
that I did with family (including a new edition to my family, my six
week old son) from January 14 to January 25 2006.
Some of the interesting birds seen at Croajingolong included Black-
faced Monarch, Beautiful Firetail, Ground Parrot, Topknot Pigeon,
Scarlet Honeyeater, Glossy Black-Cockatoo and Powerful Owl. While on
the South East NSW coast I recorded Channel-billed Cuckoo, Red-browed
Treecreeper, more Topknot Pigeon, White-headed Pigeon, Variegated Fairy-
wren, Eastern Reef Egret, White-throated Nightjar and Powerful Owl.
Overall bird numbers were high, particularly the tropical migratory
birds.
Mallacoota & Croajingolong NP
On the very edge of township of Mallacoota there is an excellent area
of lowland forest along Watertrust Rd (named on some maps as Pipeline
Rd). Beautiful Firetail was reasonably common here, particularly on the
roadside margin near the entrance to the Mallacoota sewage treatment
ponds. At this site I also recorded a single Brown Quail marching up
the road, Jacky Winter, Leaden Flycatcher and White-throated Gerygone.
Along Watertrust Rd there is also an area of heath that supports good
numbers of Southern Emu-wren, and has potential for other heathland
birds (such as Ground Parrot). The nearby Mallacoota Sewage Ponds also
has potential, supporting large numbers of waterbird, such as rafts of
Chestnut Teal and Wood Duck, Black-winged Stilt, Black-fronted Dotterel
and Black Swan. I also recorded Little Grassbird at the pond,
considered an uncommon bird for this area.
As the name suggests, the Shady Creek Bushland Reserve is a nice area
of temperate rainforest. Scarlet Honeyeater was relatively common along
this gully, particularly at the bridge at the bottom of the reserve,
mainly in the Melaleuca armillaris. Also near the bridge was a roosting
pair of Powerful Owl. Some other birds recorded in this gully included
Lewin's Honeyeater, Large-billed Scrubwren, Brown Gerygone, Eastern
Whipbird, Rufous Fantail, Satin Bowerbird, Superb Lyrebird, large
numbers of Wompoo Pigeon, Satin Flycatcher, Boobook Owl, Owlet
Nightjar, and a flock of White-throated Needletail circle over the
gully each evening. Another area of warm temperate forest is along
Double Creek. Black-faced Monarch, Large-billed Scrubwren, Brown
Gerygone, Rufous Fantail, Satin Bowerbird and Superb Lyrebird were seen
here.
One of the best areas of coastal heathland is along Betka Road. On the
Heathland Walk (within coo-wee of the Mallacoota golf course) I flushed
a Ground Parrot as well as a Brush Bronzewing. At the nearby Betka
Beach a pair of Hooded Plover nested in the middle of this popular surf
beach. How they manage to survive is anyone bodies guess. Perhaps
testament to the gustiness of this threatened shore bird. There was
also Eastern Curlew at the mouth of the Betka River, and Striated
Calamanthus beside the airstrip.
Shipwreck Creek contains some of the best Coastal Heathland in Victoria
(and should qualify as an IBA/Important Bird Area). Ground Parrot seem
to be having a good year. I flushed at least three Ground Parrot, and
one bird was surprisingly flushed four times. They Southern Emu-wren
was also common. Perhaps the most interesting bird for Croajingolong
was a pair of Topknot Pigeon, which circled over the bush to the west
of the uppermost heath area. There was also Leaden Flycatcher near the
car park.
The area around Mt Genoa contains the right mix of Casuarina and old
growth forest to support Glossy Black-Cockatoo. A flock of at least
eight birds were seen along Genoa Peak Rd, with another flock being
heard later in the day. There has been some suggestion that numbers of
Glossy Black-Cockatoo have increased recently along the south east
coast of Australia.
Coastal birds recorded in Mallacoota included Eastern Curlew, Bar-
tailed Godwit, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Red Knot, Greenshank, Pied
Oystercatcher, Black-winged Stilt, Hooded Plover, Masked Lapwing,
Pacific Gull, Caspian Tern, Crested Tern and Little Tern, which were
nesting on the mouth of the Mallacoota River. While swiming at Bastion
Point surf beach Little Tern could be seen fishing out beyond the surf
in the exact area that the local council plans to put a new 130 metre
boat ramp! Do we ever learn?
South East NSW
Birds were certainly plentiful in South East NSW. I stayed in the Tanja
Valley, near the Mimosa Rocks National Park, and then later at
Quarantine Bay near Eden. Some of the birds seen around Tanja included
several sightings of Channel-billed Cuckoo, including two young
screaching birds being feed by a family of Pied Currawong at Bithri
Inlet. There were also White-throated Nightjar, Noisy Friarbird, White
throated Needletail, Hooded Plover, a flock of 15 Topknot Pigeon
circling Tanja Valley, and a majestic Powerful Owl (with a Yellow-
bellied Glider in toe) at David Bright's property, Ngairin.
At Quarantine Bay I caught up with Greg Oakley for a few days, staying
in a bungalows beside the bay. While playing cricket with the kids on
the beach an young Topknot Pigeon circled overhead. We also recorded
White Headed Pigeon, Black-faced Monarch, Collared Sparrowhawk, Brown
Gerygone, Sooty Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper and Variegated Fairy-
wren. The eastern race of the Variegated Fairy-wren intrigues me. For
instance how much farther south down the NSW east coast does the sub-
species lamberti go? If it is found around Eden it must surely be found
in Ben Boyd National Park, and then also in Nadgee Nature Reserve. From
Nadgee it should reach Howe Flat and other parts of Croajingolong
National Park. Yet surprisingly the Croajingolong bird list (published
by Park Victoria) does not include this bird.
A brief trip to Mt Imlay NP resulted in several Red-browed Treecreeper.
At the Green Cape Lighthouse there were plenty of Tawny-crowned
Honeyeater, and 500 metres out at sea a weight of six Black-browed
Albatross sat on the water. There was also an Eastern Reef Egret on the
northern rocks.
All up I recorded 160 species in and around Croajingolong and South
East NSW. As mentioned earlier, overall bird numbers were very high,
particularly tropical migratory birds. It has obviously been a good
spring.
Cheers,
Tim
--------------------------------------------
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
--------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message:
'unsubscribe birding-aus' (no quotes, no Subject line)
to
|
