Hi all,
I've just returned from leading the Birds Australia (Victoria) campout to the
wonderful mallee area of northern Victoria. A wide range of inland birds were
seen, totalling 131 species. The highlights for the trip included a fair whack
of Victoria's rarest birds including Red-lored Whistler, Striated Grasswren,
Mallee Emu-wren, Black Honeyeater, Malleefowl, Rufous Fieldwren, Orange Chat,
Chestnut Quail-thrush and so on.
Briefly thanks to everyone who came along including new BA members Paul Dodd
and Ruth Woodrow (who managed to dine at Stefanos restaurant in Mildura),
Nicole Spillane and Paul Jacobson (who made some excellent sound recordings).
Thanks also to Fiona Parkin and Stuart Dashper who both helped organise the
campout, and thanks to Sally Symonds, who put up with my conversation during
the very long drive!
Please see below a site by site analysis, and below that a list of the species
seen. If anyone has any site information or if you would like to join future
campouts please don't hesitate to contact me.
Cheers,
Tim Dolby
MURRAY-SUNSET NP (including Pink Lakes)
2 (possibly 3) Red-lored Whistler were recorded at 2 sites along the Honeymoon
Hut Tk, approximately 5 km and 6 km west of the intersection of Meridian Rd.
Striated Grasswren was seen at Pink Lakes along the Pioneer Dr just north of
the intersection with the Salt Bush Flat Tk. 3 families of Mallee Emu-wren were
seen along the Last Hope Tk 10 km west of the township of Hattah.
HATTAH-KULKYNE NP (including Pink Lakes): Up to five groups of Mallee Emu-wren
were seen along the Nowingi Tk. A single Malleefowl was also recorded on the
north side of Nowingi Tk. Other birds at Hattah included Blue-winged Parrot,
Major-Mitchell's Cockatoo, good numbers of Regent Parrot, several families of
Chestnut-crowned Babbler, 2 Spotted Nightjar and Little Button-quail. Water
birds included Pink-eared Duck, Blue-billed Duck, Australasian Shoveler, and
Darter.
BRONZEWING FFR: A side trip to Bronzewing FFR produced no less than 12 records
of Chestnut Quail-thrush. There were no records at either Murray-Sunset or
Hattah-Kulkyne NP.
LAKE TYRRELL: Rufous Fieldwren, Orange Chat, White-backed Swallow, White-winged
Fairy-wren were recorded at Lake Tyrrell along the Lake Tyrrell Rd between
Baileys Rd and the Robinvale-Sea Lake Rd.
GAMA roadside reserve: Black Honeyeater (male & female), White-backed Swallow,
White-fronted Honeyeater were recorded at Gama Reserve on the corner of the
Sunraysia Hwy and the Sea-Lake-Gama Rd.
OUYEN: Aside from the odd Blackbird there were 2 Princess Parrot and a single
Bourke's Parrot in a small aviary next to the bakery (I did contemplate
including these on the list, but rational thinking got the better of me.)
BIRDS AUSTRALIA VICTORIA Bird Survey & Campout, based at Lake Hattah campground
(data generated EREMAEA http://www.eremaea.com ): Date: 21/03/2008 -
25/03/2008; Site: Northern Victoria; Species: 131; Observer: Tim Dolby et al.
1. Emu
2. Hoary-headed Grebe
3. Great Crested Grebe
4. Australian Pelican
5. Great Cormorant
6. Pied Cormorant: single bird flying high over Mournpall Tk.
7. Darter: Lake Hattah & lake Mournpall, also pair flying high over
Mournpall Tk.
8. White-faced Heron
9. Australian White Ibis
10. Black Swan
11. Australian Shelduck
12. Australian Wood Duck
13. Grey Teal
14. Chestnut Teal
15. Pacific Black Duck
16. Australasian Shoveler
17. Pink-eared Duck: Lake Arawak
18. Hardhead
19. Blue-billed Duck: Lake Mournpall
20. Musk Duck: Lake Mournpall
21. Black-shouldered Kite
22. Black Kite
23. Whistling Kite
24. Swamp Harrier
25. Brown Goshawk
26. Collared Sparrowhawk: at a number of sites including pair hunting at
Wymlet Tank.
27. Wedge-tailed Eagle
28. Little Eagle
29. Nankeen Kestrel
30. Brown Falcon
31. Malleefowl: single bird on north side of Nowingi Tk. Bird flew when
approached.
Also mound at Bronzewing FFR.
32. Little Button-quail: single bird on Nowingi Tk.
33. Eurasian Coot
34. Red-necked Avocet
35. Masked Lapwing
36. Black-fronted Dotterel
37. Silver Gull
38. Rock Dove
39. Common Bronzewing
40. Crested Pigeon
41. Peaceful Dove: 2 birds seen at Timberoo FFR.
42. Galah
43. Little Corella: Lake Hattah campground.
44. Major Mitchell's Cockatoo: several at Lake Hattah campground; aside
from that scarce.
45. Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
46. Mallee Ringneck: common at most mallee sites, with large numbers at
Wymlet Tank.
47. Yellow Rosella: 'flaveolus' ssp Crimson Rosella.
48. Mulga Parrot: seen at most mallee sites, with large numbers at Wymlet
Tank.
49. Red-rumped Parrot
50. Blue Bonnet: good numbers along roadside vegatation, with large numbers
at
Wymlet Tank, and along the Trinita Tk.
51. Blue-winged Parrot: 2 single birds fly over at Lake Hattah campground.
52. Regent Parrot: good numbers at Hattah-Kulkyne NP, and at Wymlet Tank.
53. Barn Owl: spotlighted along Mournpall Tk.
54. Southern Boobook
55. Australian Owlet-nightjar: campground and bird daytime flushed on
Honeymoon Hut Tk.
56. Tawny Frogmouth
57. Spotted Nightjar: single bird Lake Hattah campground & spotlighted on
Mournpall Tk.
58. Laughing Kookaburra
59. Rainbow Bee-eater: single bird at Gama Reserve
60. White-backed Swallow: several birds seen at Gama Reserve & at Lake
Tyrrell.
61. Welcome Swallow
62. Tree Martin
63. Australasian Pipit
64. Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
65. Common Blackbird: several birds seen at Ouyen.
66. Brown Songlark: near lookout at Lake Tyrrell.
67. Willie Wagtail
68. Grey Fantail
69. Restless Flycatcher
70. Jacky Winter
71. Red-capped Robin
72. Hooded Robin
73. Crested Bellbird: recorded at most sites including Timberoo FFR and
Bronzewing FFR.
74. Red-lored Whistler: 2 (possibly 3) birds recorded at two sites along
Honeymoon Hut Tk.
75. Gilbert's Whistler: single bird recorded at Timberoo FFR.
76. Golden Whistler
77. Rufous Whistler
78. Grey Shrike-thrush
79. White-browed Babbler
80. Chestnut-crowned Babbler: recorded along Bitterang Tk & along Mournpall
Lake Loop Tk.
81. Chestnut Quail-thrush: 12 birds recorded at Bronzewing FFR.
82. White-winged Fairy-wren: Lake Tyrrell.
83. Splendid Fairy-wren: recorded at most mallee sites in eclipse.
84. Variegated Fairy-wren: recorded at most mallee sites, including Gama,
in eclipse.
85. Mallee Emu-wren: five groups of Mallee Emu-wren were seen along the
Nowingi Tk,
and 3 groups of were seen at Murray Sunset along the Last Hope Tk west
of the
township of Hattah.
86. Striated Grasswren: single bird seen at Pink Lakes Pink Lakes along the
Pioneer Dr
just north of the intersection with the Salt Bush Flat Tk. Bird also
heard
calling at the Nowingi Tk.
87. Rufous Fieldwren: several bird seen at Lake Tyrrell.
88. Shy Heathwren: single bird recorded at Murray Sunset along Last Hope Tk.
89. Buff-rumped Thornbill: often in mixed species flocks.
90. Inland Thornbill: often in mixed species flocks.
91. Yellow-rumped Thornbill: often in mixed species flocks.
92. Chestnut-rumped Thornbill: often in mixed species flocks.
93. Weebill
94. Southern Whiteface
95. Orange Chat: up to 3 birds seen at Lake Tyrrell.
96. White-fronted Chat
97. Varied Sittella: 'black-capped' pileata ssp seen at several locations.
98. Brown Treecreeper
99. Mistletoebird
100. Spotted Pardalote: 'yellow-rumped' xanthopygus ssp .
101. Striated Pardalote: substriatis 'Striated Pardalote' ssp.
102. Silvereye
103. Black Honeyeater: male and female seen at Gama Reserve.
104. Singing Honeyeater
105. White-eared Honeyeater
106. Purple-gaped Honeyeater: single bird heard at Murray-Sunset on Last
Hope Tk.
107. Yellow-plumed Honeyeater
108. White-plumed Honeyeater
109. Brown-headed Honeyeater
110. Little Friarbird: Lake Hattah.
111. White-fronted Honeyeater: Recorded at most mallee sites, including Gama,
and it was the common honeyeater at Bronzewing FFR.
112. Blue-faced Honeyeater: recorded at seveal sites, common in River Red
Gum near Lake Hattah and Lake Mournpall.
113. Noisy Miner
114. Yellow-throated Miner
115. Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater
116. Red Wattlebird
117. Magpie-lark
118. White-winged Chough
119. Apostlebird: several families seen, including at Lake Hattah campground
and
along Bitterang Tk.
120. Masked Woodswallow: recorded at most mallee sites.
121. White-browed Woodswallow: recorded at most mallee sites.
122. Dusky Woodswallow: recorded at most mallee sites, with large numbers at
Bronzewing.
123. Grey Butcherbird
124. Pied Butcherbird
125. Australian Magpie
126. Grey Currawong: recorded at most sites; 'black-winged' melanoptera ssp.
127. Little Crow: Mildura tip (and also possibly Honeymoon Hut Tk).
128. Australian Raven
129. Little Raven
130. Common Starling
131. House Sparrow
==============================www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
send the message:
unsubscribe
(in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
to:
=============================
|
