In October 2000, we visited Round Hill and wrote a comprehensive report
on the visit, including instructions for finding the campsite and a
prime area know as 'the old wheatfield'. This is still available at
http://bioacoustics.cse.unsw.edu.au/birding-aus/2000-10/msg00552.html.
We visited the area again over the long weekend (in NSW/ACT) just
passed. This brief report draws comparisons with the earlier
report/visit and also has an appendix with updated directions, since a
few features have changed (e.g. one-lane bridges becoming two lane, dirt
road areas being tarred, etc.)
Overall, this was a good trip, although the flies were a real pest and
the area was disturbingly dry, despite evidence of good rains earlier in
the year. We met a number of people who were also birding the area and
enjoyed the chats we had with them and the information we could
exchange.
Comparing the 2000 and 2007 bird lists for RH, all the 'target' birds
were about in numbers: we saw Chestnut Quail Thrush and Southern Scrub
Robin and heard Gilbert's Whistler and Black-eared Cuckoo (both sighted
by others). We also saw about 15 Orange Chats (but no White Winged
Wrens) in a lignum area en route which others once labelled 'chat alley'
(see appendix for location.)
As noted in 2000 there were no signs of a Red-Lored Whistler. This was
despite the fact that at least one person searched diligently and at
length supported by a tape of RLW calls. Given that (by our reckoning)
there was a sighting report for 1996 and one more for 2001, that they
are suppose to be largely sedentary, and that no-one seemed to have
heard of a sighting since the 2001 record, perhaps this should be struck
off the list of birds for which RH is a site, and save people a wild
goose chase? We'd be very pleased to hear to the contrary.
The principal difference in our two visits lay in the reduced
representation of Honeyeaters and that was likely due to timing. We
attributed the relative dearth of Honeyeaters to the fact that there had
been a florescence a couple of months back, but that there was very
little in blossom in late September. The Honeyeaters we saw were
represented primarily by Spiny-cheeked, Striped (many and voluble),
White-eared and Brown-headed, plus ubiquitous Yellow-eared Miners.
Other than the missing HE's, the trip list was similar in 2007 to 2001,
perhaps with fewer birds as opposed to species. What was notable was the
almost complete absence of raptors. In the area we saw one Brown Falcon
and someone else saw one Collared Sparrow Hawk. We saw one BF and one
Kestrel on the trip up from Canberra, 3 kestrels on the trip back and
one Whistling kite when we visited L Cargelligo sewage works.
One very bright spot was a Malleefowl spotted wandering nonchalantly
along the Round Hill to Lake Cargelligo road. It ducked into the scrub
about one kilometre on the LC side of the Nombinnie track intersection;
we followed it for a few minutes, and then poked around the next day for
a while, but could find no trace of a mound.
Appendix: Getting to Round Hill, revised
>From Lake Cargelligo, head north on the road to Euabalong.
After about 11-12 kms cross the Lachlan River at Murrin Bridge.
After another 2kms or so, take the (first) L turn: marked Mt Hope,
Cobar, etc.
After another 2-3kms, you reach a T intersection. Turn L, again this is
marked Mt Hope, Cobar, etc. Almost immediately (about 200 m) you reach a
grid. This marks the lignum 'swamp' (in 07, just lignum), mainly on the
L but some on the R, where one may well see chats or WW Wrens. (In 2000
we saw Wrens, in 2007, 15 orange chats...)
After the swamp, the road continues for about 1km of tarmac, then
continues straight ahead as dirt while tarmac goes into the right turn.
Turn R (marked Mt Hope, Cobar) and follow the road, eventually running
onto a dirt surface. You cross Booberoi Ck (one lane bridge) and after a
few more kms, the rwy, from which time on you are flanked by Mallee and
some callitris pine woodlands.
[NB It is possible to turn left on the immediate far side of the rwy and
run along the southern edge of the reserve, but this is not the best way
to the campsite.]
Continue along after the rwy for about 10-12km. The road rises to cross
a low ridge extending from Round Hill westwards. Cross this and descent
towards another T junction. This one you can, in daylight, see from
quite some way ahead as the signs show up glimmering white against the
bush background.
[About 1km short of the T junction, there is a large sign on the left,
although you can only read it once you pass it as it's set for traffic
coming the other way. It marks the entrance to Nombinnie NR. Enter here
and the 'old Wheatfield' is found along this road all the way to the end
where it turns 90 degrees L and borders the field on the far side.]
When you reach the T junction you intersect with the Euabalong-Mt Hope
road which is (Oct 07) in the process of being tar sealed.
If proceeding to Whoey tank, turn right at the T intersection (shown to
Euabalong). This straight stretch was good for wood swallows in 2000 but
these were not seen in 07. After about 2-3 km, the road rises as you
cross the ridge running north from RH. The road then falls and, at the
lower end of the slope on the right, is the entrance to the Whoey Tank
track. [The tar stopped here in Oct 07 but works were in progress so tar
should have soon passed along the stretch.]
The visibility of the entry varies, but in 07 several clear tracks were
easy to see and gave access to the tanks, which are about 500m in.
Following the track all the way through this part of the reserve will
bring one back onto the large dirt road described above and along which
you came from L. Cargelligo. Again, this is marked Nombinnie NR on that
road and one could enter from this direction (the track is the
hypotenuse of a right angled triangle in effect) but the route noted
above is easier to follow the first time you visit.
Good luck.
Stephen Mugford and Pat O'Malley
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