Over the Xmas and New Year break from 24 Dec to 4 Jan did the return
drive to Adelaide. Although the trip was mostly 'non-birding' did get a
few decent stops in - notably a day at Gluepot and Waikerie, plus a
short stop at Fivebough Swamp in Leeton - as well as plenty of
interesting inland species seen en route. As expected conditions were
hot and dry every day from 27 Dec onwards, although did hit some heavy
rain in western NSW on 26 Dec where the Bogan River was already in flood
(but the Darling and its floodplains still very dry around Wilcannia).
Some of the trip highlights as follows:
24-25 Dec Kurrajong Hills, Blue Mountains w of Sydney:
Juvenile Brush Cuckoo (with Brown Gerygone's as suspected fosters),
numerous Rufous Fantails, my first local breeding record of
Yellow-throated Scrubwren (chicks in nest), Peregrine Falcon, Brown
Cuckoo-dove, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Dollarbird, and 5 Channel-billed
Cuckoos deafeningly trumpeting in Christmas morning. Crimson Rosellas
have also returned to the vicinity after a peculiar near-total absence
of around 18 months.
26 Dec Orange to Broken Hill:
The first notable shift to inland species around Wellington with
Apostebirds, fine views of a low flying Spotted Harrier (only one for
the trip), Little Corella and Cockatiel. Again at Trangie a few more
western species with Black Kites, Little Friarbird and Blue-faced
Honeyeater. First Emus seen west of Nyngan, with few sightings till west
of Wilcannia where they became common. West of Cobar added first
Red-capped Robins and numerous White-breasted Woodswallows, Zebra Finch,
Rainbow Bee-eater, Chestnut-crowned Babbler. A beautiful pair of Black
Falcons w of Wilcannia, and Wedge-tailed Eagles became very frequent. At
dusk just outside of Broken Hill near the Sculpture Park a Spotted
Nightjar finished off the day nicely.
27 Dec Broken Hill to Adelaide
At dawn around Silverton saw Emu, Banded Lapwing pair with juvenile,
Collared Sparrowhawk, White-browed Babbler, and many Apostlebirds,
Little Corella, Cockatiel, White-breasted Woodswallow, Zebra Finch,
Little Crow. A Black-breasted Buzzard just over the SA border.
28 Dec to 1 Jan Adelaide
No real birding done but a few species seen. A Barbary Dove in Toorak
Gardens was an Aus first for me, plenty of lorikeets mainly Musk and
Rainbow with some Purple-crowneds. Adelaide Rosellas in McLaren Vale,
Pink-eared Duck at Noarlunga. At Aldinga, Greenshank, Red-necked Stint,
3 Black-faced Cormorants, Singing Honeyeater.
2 Jan Adelaide to Waikerie
Stopped off at Port Gawler to look for neophemas but hot windy
conditions were not favourable. Brief views of a passing Elegant Parrot,
many White-winged Fairy Wrens, Stubble Quail, Pied and Banded Stilts,
Eastern Curlew and after a lot of samphire traipsing finally a small
party of 4 Slender-billed Thornbill. Further on at Gawler the only
White-browed Woodswallows for the trip, surprisingly. At Blanchetown on
the Murray, many Caspian Terns, Whistling Kites and Yellow Rosellas, and
large flocks of Little Corellas.
3 Jan Gluepot and on to Balranald
Entered Gluepot just before sunrise, but by mid morning temps were
already well into the 30s and peaked somewhere close to 40 - birds were
largely quiet after about 9 but some nice sightings in this fantastic
spot (lucked out on my main target Striated Grasswren, in spite of lots
of spinifex spikes in the legs..). Honeyeaters were much scarcer than
expected, with the exception of Yellow-plumed and Singing. Sightings
included numerous Mulga Parrots, Eastern Ringnecks, Chestnut-crowned
Babbler, Rainbow Bee-eater, Chestnut-rumped and Inland Thornbill, Jacky
Winter, Brown Treecreeper. Did 2 walks, the (misleadingly titled at
least for this day) Grasswren, and North Babbler. Grasswren was very
quiet, North Babbler had more activity with Red-capped and Hooded
Robins, Jacky Winters, and great views of Splendid Fairy-wren, and the
thornbills. Chestnut Quail-thrush were showing well on the road around
here, with 2 parties seen repeatedly. Also just off the road close to
North Babbler got my first Southern Scrub-Robins, after picking up their
harsh calls from the car and stopping to investigate. Great views thanks
to their inquisitive nature as they came in to check out the intruder.
Back at Waikerie, the sewage ponds put on a good waterfowl display with
over 120 Aust Shoveler very actively shoveling, and lesser numbers of
Grey Teal, Pink-eared Duck, Hardhead, and Aust Shelduck and 4 Freckled
Ducks keeping a low profile mixed in as single birds amongst other
species. Hoary-headed Grebe, Black-fronted and Red-kneed Dotterel and
Yellow Rosella also present.
Major Mitchell's Cockatoo seen late in the day near Euston.
4 Jan Balranald to Kurrajong via Leeton
Over the Hay plain at dawn, with Wedge-tails, Emus, Little Corella,
Galah and Black Duck all in good numbers - water lying in roadside pools
after recent rains.
Closer to Narrandera, a stop in River Red Gum forest gave a flock of c
16 Superb Parrots, White-winged Choughs, Brown Treecreepers, Yellow
Rosella, Red-rumped Parrot, breeding Sacred Kingfisher and
Mistletoebird, Pied Butcherbird, Whistling Kite and others. In nearby
pasture and grassland were Rufous and Brown Songlarks.
Didn't make it to Leeton as planned the previous night, and so could not
make Fivebough Swamp until 9am, by which time it was already hot and
frustratingly windy. Not surprisingly, very few birds were visible in
these conditions, with Royal and Yellow-billed Spoonbills, Purple
Swamphen, Clamourous Reed Warbler and Little Grassbirds being the most
abundant; Black Duck and Grey Teal were the only duck species seen. A
single Swamp Harrier and a juvenile Horsfields Bronze-cuckoo begging
from reed warblers. Remarkable luck though as I was making my way out of
the swamp and surprised a White Ibis through a break in the cumbungi,
which in its sudden take-off flushed a fantastic male Little Bittern
which flew past giving great clear views for a few seconds.
All up just under 200 species seen, including 4 new for me - Barbary
Dove, Slender-billed Thornbill, Southern Scrub-robin and Little Bittern.
Eric Finley
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