More sightings from the amazingly green and flourishing outback
(sorry a bit late - I've been flat out with other trips, tree
planting and field work ever since returning home just over a week
ago).
We basically did a big loop from Bourke visiting Thargomindah,
Eromangah, Windorah out to Morney Creek, Quilpie, Eulo and stopping
off at Byrock on the way home. Our planned itinerary had to be
slightly changed at the last minute with the road to Noccundra cut
due to the Wilson River in flood.
A real highlight for me was seeing large numbers of Flock Bronzewings
in the area west of Windorah (Qld) on 9th August. We first saw a
flock of about 1000 in the distance at 22km west of Windorah. Then
later in the day, at least 500 were seen in 3-4 separate flocks on
the Morney Plain, 114km west of Windorah. We ended up seeing some of
these very close to the road, with great views of stationary birds
only a few metres away. Seeing these birds in the distance is almost
as amazing as seeing them up close, as they wheel around like a
moving cloud over the horizon, alternating brown and grey as the
flock turns.
At both these areas were also large numbers of Australian Praticoles.
We estimated hundreds along that stretch of road between Windorah and
Morney Creek.
Of particular interest, a Spinifexbird was seen well by most of the
group just off the Diamantina Developmental Road 42km south-east of
Windorah, in an area of dense spinifex (virtually the first patch of
spinifex you see coming from Quilpie).
At Windorah itself, close to the Nature Drive, were 30-40 Spinifex
Pigeons, drinking at a bore tank.
Around Windorah the eremophilas were flowering beautifully,
especially along the Nature Drive where Painted Honeyeaters were a
nice bonus, in fine voice, and Black Honeyeaters were nesting. Pied
and Black also seen at the rocky area on the ridge dividing the
Cooper and Diamantina catchments, west of Windorah. Crimson Chats
were numerous in many places but we saw no Orange.
Many thousands of woodswallows - mostly White-browed and a few Masked
and 2 Little, 5km east of Eromanga. White-browed Woodswallows were
seen in their thousands in several areas. Along the Paroo, Bulloo and
Cooper systems they feed extensively on the nectar from Yapunyah
(Eucalyptus ochrophloia - one of my favourite trees) and I feel that
Yapunyah trees and woodswallows have an important association,
perhaps more than is recognised.
Many of the special bush birds of the mulga were seen. Hall's
Babblers, Chestnut-breasted Quail-thrush, Bourke's Parrot, Red-browed
Pardalote, White-browed Treecreeper, etc. etc.... all of which we saw
in various locations.
At Lake Houdraman near Quilpie, a Ground Cuckoo-shrike on a nest. The
only Bustard of the trip was one crossing the road, west of
Cunnamulla. I lost count of how many times we saw Brolgas.
Spotted Harriers were abundant throughout the whole of the area. So
were Little and Red-chested Button-quails which we continually
flushed when walking through grassland or mulga, most days of the
trip.
In contrast, despite all the water we saw very few ducks, anywhere,
except for a few Pink-eared, Plumed Whistling-Ducks, etc at Lake
Bindegolly and at a wetland near Bourke. Certainly no Freckled. I
know that they are said to be widely dispersed but we were surprised
to see virtually NO ducks anywhere on the trip despite checking many
wetlands and glorious billabongs. Where are they?
The flooded areas around Fords Bridge and the Cuttaburra basin
between Bourke and Hungerford were teeming with egrets, herons,
spoonbills, etc, in early August as they also were when I travelled
through that area in May.
The Bulloo River at Thargomindah is also alive with many Nankeen
Night Herons, other waterbirds, woodswallows, etc. and a Barking Owl
seen while spotlighting. Plum-headed Finches were an unexpected
highlight on the river walk. Two of us were also pretty sure we heard
Black-chinned Honeyeater there - which seems to be a little out of
range. Thargo itself had Red-backed Kingfishers in the main street.
Finally, at Byrock (80km south of Bourke, NSW) on 12th August I was
told by a local that a Bush Stone-curlew had been seen right outside
the hotel the previous night. Though we didn't see that, we did see
many great birds on a walk the next morning at the Rock Hole,
including Mulga Parrots, Major Mitchells and a Painted Button-quail.
It was a joy to see such huge areas of the country at its best. The
Qld outback is like a huge park right now with expanses of vibrant
green and the ground under the mulga woodlands carpeted with
wildflowers. On our short trip our bird tally was 165 species.
Cheers,
Carol
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carol Probets
Guided birding in the Blue Mountains & Capertee Valley
PO Box 330
Katoomba NSW 2780
Web: http://www.bmbirding.com.au
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