Dear all,
My sister and I decided to pay a 10 day visit to s-e Queensland. We left
Murrurundi on 28^th April with rain threatening and drove north hoping
to find the sun in Queensland. At Moree we picnicked in Kirby Park on
the Gwydia River – immature Brown Goshawk and our first Mallee Ringneck.
Shortly after leaving Moree we saw our first Apostlebirds. It rained
most of the day and night and again next day.
*Queensland*.
Driving further north we passed through Mitchell and Blackall to
Balcaldine. The country was quite thickly covered in trees and shrubs
and looked reasonable despite the drought but the rain prevented stops
to look for birds. Next morning was bright with a funny smell in the air
as we left Balcaldine driving west to Longreach. The paddocks were bare,
very over-grazed and the strong onion-like smell was traced to the wet
Gidgee trees. Stopped at a cattle worn TSR on the main road and found
Jacky Winters and Singing and Spiny-cheeked honeyeaters . Off a side
road were Apostlebirds, Red-capped Robins and a Crested Bellbird singing
in a tree.
At Ilfracombe we found Fairy Martins, Galahs, Zebra finches, House
Sparrows and Black Kites. We visited the Stockman's Hall of Fame at
Longreach, well worth stopping for. Leaving Longreach and driving west
over a causeway glimpsed some Glossy Ibis in a creek so did a U-turn but
the Ibis has flown,. Nearby was a small wetland – seepage off the sewage
works I suspect. Here were Chestnut-breasted and Zebra finches, Reed
Warblers, Black-faced Woodswallows and Variegated Wrens.
Next stop was the Darr River - new bird was a Spotted Bowerbird. That
night we camped in Bladensburg National Park south of Winton. In a creek
before the park we found a pair of Bustards with well grown chick.
Bladensburg consists of gibber, sand, rocks, Mitchell grass, spinifex
and tree-lined river courses. Set up camp by a creek, lovely spot. Full
moon at night swallowing all except the brightest stars, very quiet
except for an Owlet Nightjar calling briefly. The following morning we
did a quick tour of the park but it was so dry with few birds, little
undergrowth and grass but better than the grazed paddocks outside. After
Winton we stopped for lunch at Combo Waterhole. You can't drive to the
actual waterhole as the original station's cobbled water crossings were
closed due to damage by 4WDs. On leaving Winton saw our first pair of
Brolga grazing by the roadside. Arrived in Mt Isa and set up camp in the
Mt. Isa Caravan Park. Found out later we were camped directly under the
roosting branches of about 50 Red-winged Parrots. I spent a frustrating
time next morning washing their droppings off the car. We moved our tent
out of range the next night but didn't move the car far enough.
We made a half hearted attempt to find the Kalkadoon Grasswren on the
Lady Loretta Track. Down a red sand track, lots of bumps and dust to the
second creek crossing mentioned in Thomas & Thomas. Walked up and down
through the spinifex, no grasswrens, a few Grey-headed Honeyeaters, lots
of Weebills, a family of Variegated Fairywrens, Zebbies and a small
flock of Spinifex Pigeons making soft hoo hoo noises amongst the rocks.
On leaving a Little Eagle was being annoyed by a Black Kite. At a dry
creek bed off the main road found Grey-crowned Babblers, Grey Fantail
and Grey Shrike-thrush (all those greys). Back to town and turned north
to Moondarra Lake. Crossing the Leichhardt river bed, saw lots of birds
and an expanse of water so walked down to the river – one side almost
dry, the other full of water (outflow from sewage works?). Birds
included a Blue-winged Kookaburra, egrets, cormorants, Varied Lorikeets,
Bee-eaters, Night Heron, and a Black Duck with 3 ducklings. At Lake
Moondarra we saw so many species, from Great Crested Grebe to Whiskered
and Caspian Terns, Glossy Ibis, Comb-crested Jacanas and Spotted
Bowerbirds – Bob Forsyth lists 164 species for this lake (as at 2003),
we saw 60 in 2 hrs.
Next morning to Pamela Street to try for the grasswren again but no
luck. So south to Boulia stopping at a creek bed with billabong -
Pictarella and Painted finches, Brown Quail, Spinifex Pigeons, Zebbies
and Peaceful Doves. Arrived in Dajarra, visited the Museum, had a beer
in the pub and lunch at the sewage works - a small group of settling
ponds with a few birds - Pictarella, Zebra and Painted Finches,
Grey-headed Honeyeaters. On to Boulia, stopping to admire three Brolga
on the edge of town and to the caravan park with its raucous crowd of
Little Corellas flying up and down the river. A gorgeous sunset and very
good showers. Continued south to Bedourie on the Diamantina Development
Road. Just north of Bedourie saw water in ephemeral lakes, lots of
Cockatiels flying around and then our first big flock of Budgerigars. A
Black Falcon was disturbed by the roadside, clutching a fresh kill which
it was very reluctant to drop, flew low and landed again not far off. A
lake on Sandringham Station had thousands of Straw-necked Ibis, and a
mixed group of Pink-eared Ducks, Grey Teal, Wandering Whistling Ducks,
Black-winged Stilt and one Pelican. The next lake had 11 Brolga and at
least 60 Gull-billed Terns plus two Avocets and more ibis, Stilts and
Teal. Arriving in Bedourie, a very tiny town with a very large new
Community Centre and hot springs, the wind was blowing like mad and the
flies were bad. Turning east toward Windorah we found birds scattering
across the road – Australian Pratincoles – and on the ponds more terns
and ducks. A huge flock of budgies east of the Diamantina Channels, 5
Emus, lots of Cockatiels and a White-winged Triller. The track was
endless, gibber either side and overgrazed Mitchell grass plains. The
flies and wind made stops uncomfortable so we continued to Windorah,
arriving at dusk so booked into the Western Star Hotel.
Rose early for a quick walk round town. White-breasted Woodswallows on
the wires and a Ute with a cache of dead kangaroos hanging in the rear,
gutted with heads, tails and feet cut off. Drove to the Cooper at
McPhellamy's Crossing a few kilometres east of town. The river was
flowing well but the surrounds were so dry there was little life - a few
Brown Treecreepers, a solitary Pelican on the water, the inevitable
Black Kite and White-rumped Miners. After Cooper's Creek the mulga was
burnt and over grazed, lots of flies and strong wind. A long drive via
Quilpie and Toompine to Thargomindah where we camped near the Bulloo. In
the washouts by the river I found Plum-headed and Zebra Finches, more
budgies, lots of Little Friarbirds and Diamond Doves, a Bush Songlark,
Ringnecks and Sacred Kingfisher. Some of the Yapunyah (Eucalyptus
ochrophloia) were in flower. That night heard Barking Owls duetting up
and down the river and an Owlet Nightjar nearby and Brolgas in the morning.
At Lake Bindegolly there was no water in the northern lake but lots of
birds - hundreds of White-browed Woodswallows, Crimson Chats and
Budgerigars, a few Red-capped Robins, Diamond Doves, White-winged
Fairywrens, babblers (too far to see which), one Blue Bonnet, Masked and
Black-faced Woodswallows, Fairy Martins, a Rufous Songlark and a male
Pied Honeyeater. The ground was covered with salt bushes, many with ripe
fruit. We had a quick look at the southern side of the lake which was
covered in shallow water but no birds except a few wrens – could be due
to the overgrazed state of the land with few seeds and insects. Drove on
to Eulo and had a beer at the pub and then drove south to Currawinya
National Park. Had a look at the ruins of Caiwarro homestead and Comi
Paroo Waterhole. Camped at the shearing shed site overlooking a
waterhole with a single Great Egret on the far side and a raucous crowd
of Galahs and Little Corellas that had stripped the blossoms off the
trees. Visited the old camping site at Ten Mile Bore, a bit of muddy
water in the middle but otherwise dry with few birds; next down the
Lakes Track. Lake Kaponyee north had some water and we stopped for
coffee – only 5 species of birds here. Lake Numalla was a bare white
expanse, no water for 4 years or so, with the shells of dead tortoises
lining the edge. Found a Painted Dragon and a Red-capped Robin sang to
us by the car. Was told Lake Wyara was half full but not worth walking 6
km just to see the distant shimmering salt. Filled up at the Royal Mail
at Hungerford and had a beer, then picnicked by the Paroo. The air was
full of White-browed and Black-faced Woodswallows, with Spiny-cheeked
Honeyeaters, Brown Treecreepers, Peaceful Doves, Little Crows and
Australian Ravens, Grey-Shrike Thrush and a distant Crested Bellbird
calling. At the Granites off the old Thargomindah Road, now cut off on
the northern park border, were a group of Hall's Babblers, 4
White-browed Treecreepers, Red-capped Robins, a pair of Pied
Honeyeaters. Driving back to camp a pair of Major Mitchell Cockatoos on
the roadside..
*New South Wales*
On our way south-east from Hungerford to Bourke the country was even
more dry. Saw a dead Brolga at Nahweenah Station. At Cuttaburra Creek
there was water and over 20 immature Night Herons, a pair of Little
Eagles and two White-faced Heron. Further south a billabong was home to
Pink-eared Ducks with ducklings, Hardheads, Shovelers, Wood Ducks, Noisy
Friarbirds, White-plumed and Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters, Brown
Treecreepers, Hoary-headed and Australian Grebes, Coots and lots of blue
dragonflies.
Bourke looked neat and tidy with grass being watered but it was
extremely barren out of town and the river was a slow brown sludge with
a few Red-tailed Black Cockatoos in the River Gums. Saw a pair of
Brolgas and two Emus en route to Brewarrina and late afternoon the road
was littered with Crested Pigeons flying up either side as we passed.
Stopped briefly at Bowen Junction but the grass where the Grey-headed
Lapwing had been was cleaned up and mown with no birds, not even a
Galah. The Hot Springs closed on 16^th December for renovations. After
Walgett the country got greener and we saw two large groups of Emus.
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