The "Double Dubbo Dippers" took part in this year's Mini-Twitch, which
started a few years ago by the very keen "Home Brewer" mob from the Hunter.
Competing against the well developed twitch routes of the most productive
Hunter Valley, The "Ds" were always going to be singing for their supper
come Sunday night. However, that didn't deter the dynamic Dubbo duo as
'twitching' and the 'Year List' were always going to be the winners.
Starting from the 'Centre of the Universe' the Ds took a few early moments
to tuck away the slightly ambiguous Blackbird from the backyard.
Interestingly, the planned starting location was some 30 kms away. However,
the backyard became the starting position thanks to a few too many red wines
the night before. Indeed, the Ds were still in bed at 0740 hrs and on the
road at 0805 hrs with 8 ticks underway. For the 'other half' of the duo
that was pretty impressive stuff.
>From the backyard we headed toward Beni State Conservation Area, ticking up
some usual suspects along the way; Mallee Ringneck, Nankeen Kestrel and
Apostlebird were good to get early. Buff-rumped Thornbill, Jacky Winter,
Eastern Yellow Robin, Golden Whistler and Brown-headed Honeyeater were some
unpredictable birds to thankfully tick up in Beni.
Through Beni and around to Wongarbon Nature Reserve and the Dubbo Council
Reserve nearby. Looking for Red-capped Robin here but, as our named
suggests, 'dipping' on that one and continued to 'dip' on the little shagger
all day. Not a waste though, here we picked up Speckled Warbler,
Double-barred Finch, Grey-crowned Babbler and surprisingly our only
Spiney-cheeked Honeyeater for the day. We departed Wongarbon at about the
first hour mark with 48 birds, not bad, "we're doing OK", I say to my
trusted chauffer and budding twitching counterpart - I refer to her as
"Girl-Wonder" for reasons other than her twitching.
Time to take a breath now as we head over to 'Geurie Bald Hill Nature
Reserve'. At this point we ticked up our only Blue-faced Honeyeater for the
day at 110km/h. Now at Bald Hill, as the name suggests, I feel a special
affinity with this reserve. Here, White-browed Babbler working on their
nest, Little Lorikeet (daily), White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Peaceful Dove,
Little Eagle, Little Friarbird, Brown Treecreeper and Black-chinned
Honeyeater calling in the distance. The Ds spent some time here trying to
squeeze as much as the little, but productive reserve could provide. The
country just reeked of Red-capped Robin but despite our searching, he did
not appear for us this day.
Relocate now for a quick cup of tea and a Scotch Finger biscuit. I'm sure
the Hunter mob did forgo such a luxury and indeed scoff at our decadence,
but we do things a little slower in the west. In between Tim Tams and
stories of Alan Morris and his Lamb's Tongue sandwiches, we ticked up Dusky
Woodswallow, Tree Martin and White-naped Honeyeater.
Approaching the half way mark, 60 birds under the belt and wanting to stay a
little longer here because of the feeling of potential for the elusive Robin
and perhaps a Turquoise Parrot, we decided to continue on to an interesting
little spot on the Macquarie River, off the Old Dubbo Road. Pulling into
Butler's Falls Reserve we picked up Little-pied Cormorant, Dusky Moorhen,
Pelican, Little Grebe, Black Swan, a lone, but undoubtedly, self sustaining
Mallard and the first Brown Songlark for the season.
We now drove back into Dubbo, hence forth referred to as the 'Dead Spot'.
This next hour wasn't good enough I'm sorry to say, and stands out as an
area for the Ds to address in preparation for next year's Mini-twitch.
Things improved for the Ds at the Dubbo STWs picking up Hoary-headed Grebe,
displaying Musk Duck, Pink-eared Duck, Little-black Cormorant, Black Duck,
Grey Teal, Australasian Shoveler, Yellow-throated Miner, Yellow-billed
Spoonbill and Australian Hobby.
Half and hour to go, over to Terramungamine Reserve to finish up.
Unfortunately, Little joy to be had here for the Ds, apart from a Striated
Pardalote and a juvenile Regent Honeyeater in the company of two Little
Friarbirds. You right with that? Well by-gingo, with dead-set 30 seconds
left on the clock, I see a honeyeater perched with its back to me, black and
white scalloped plumage and an obvious black head. Then they were gone.
The only thing that comes close is a Pied Honeyeater. No warty eye ring, the
right size, the wrong the country, moving through, it keeping strange
company, Dubbo Dippers searching for every tick competing with rainforests,
wetlands and seabirds..?
As the tomato and avocado crackers were being prepared and 125 kms after we
started, the Double Dubbo Dippers stood with 91 birds including that 'thing'
I just explained. We are pretty content with that in our Mini-debut. We
have a dead spot to deal with and a rogue feathered thing to identify. Some
how the Ds have to find 40 birds in order to compete with the coastal
mobsters, we are left longing for an ocean and a temperate rainforest.
Congratulations to the 'Quites'. It was fun, it has got the 'Main Race'
juices flowing. Let it be known to all concerned, the Ds are here and
they're sticking around with fruit cake at the ready for a twitching
challenge.
Captain Dipper
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