Well Birders, I've just got back from a 30 hour roadtrip to the Capertee
Valley and back. I took a slightly circuitous route because I was by myself,
and had some other things I wanted to check out. A combination of good
locations and travelling quickly helped me see over 60 species! Outrageous,
and that doesn't include the 15 or so I couldn't identify. How do you tell
the Treecreepers apart when their back is all that's showing? The
destination summary is as follows:
Lapstone, Wentworth Falls, Kings Tableland Rd/Old Hospital/McMahon's
Lookout, Hartley Vale, Hassan's Walls Reserve, Lithgow, Capertee, Glen
Davis, Wollemi NP
I set out alone with the intent of finding some raptors, nocturnal and
diurnal. On a tip off I headed out along Kings Tableland Rd. About 1km from
the hospital, in the heath on the side of the road I had a close encounter
with a big family of Variegated Fairy Wren, I stood stock still as they
flitted about my feet and all but landed on my shoulder. Across the road I
virtually bumped into a family (one male, 3 female) of Gang-Gangs feeding in
those Acacia like things that you get on the back of sand dunes, my botany's
hopeless, maybe Casuarina, maybe even acacias?
Toddled off down the road listening out for YTBC's, and sure enough one
appeared on call. Plenty of little birds, honeyeaters, treecreepers, wren
(wrens?). Not much interest at the lookout, some Treecreepers and not much
else. It was stinking hot by this stage, and very dry. I badly wanted to get
out of the sun.
Up the Highway to Mt Vic, along Darling causeway and down the road to
Hartley Vale. along the way I stopped to check out some rock climbs next to
the road I'd heard about on the grapevine and randomly picked up some Rock
Warblers right on the climb I'm interested in. I feel a little connection
with these litle tigers, something about them being a Bluey's endemic.
Hassan's walls didn't offer much either, again it was approaching 35 and
very very dry. Nice lookout though.
Lithgow was rapidly by-passed, I've never found much to do there. Apologies
to anyone who lives there. The road to Glen Davis seemed quiet, again
probably the heat. Not even a Capertee Road Parrot to be seen (some may
refer to this as a Red-Rump).
Set up camp, twiddled fingers waiting for the birds to come to me. A few
dropped in, more fly-catchers and honey eaters. Watched a Restless FC for
probably 10 minutes as it dipped and preened, dipped and preened. As the sun
set I sat expectantly waiting for an owl to start calling me in. I heard
some grunting up the hill, right on the tree-line. A quick check of Pizzey
revealed that Powerful Owls apparently "make a sheep like bleeting near the
nest". It sounded sheepish, so I checked it out. Keep in mind I was out by
myself and feeling a little edgy. Crested the hill to what seemed to be 2
naked people fighting. The light was low. Heart in my mouth I hid and snekt
up closer to find out what was going on. Turns out it was 2 Eastern greys
getting stuck into each other. Once they were disturbed the res of the mob
stood up from the grass, on all sides of me. It was like a scene in platoon
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