Hey Tim,
Thanks for your tips. I read your blog quite a bit before my trip and it was
great for finding some sites like Gama Reserve and Bronzewing.
Those mixed feeding flocks do seem great to find. When i went to Wyperfeld
on the last day I found a flock of Southern Whitefaces, Splendid Fairywrens,
White-browed Babblers, Mulga Parrots and Mallee Ringnecks all feeding around
the same area. I was standing still for about 30 minutes just watching them
all, it was incredible.
My main problem is arriving in a forest and just finding it really quiet; I
went to Greater Bendigo National Park and Bunyip State Park earlier this
year and had the same experience, a couple of honeyeaters would be calling
but I wouldn't see anything uncommon. The drier forests just seem to be so
daunting when there's no activity and its tempting just to call it quits
instead of searching for a bird call.
(I don't really know the calls either so I usually found myself tracking
down some loud honeyeaters)
Also i agree about spotting stuff from the car. Most of the parrots I saw
were while travelling between locations although they still seemed to fly
off whenever I reversed or turned around. I remember seeing a pair of Blue
Bonnets feeding by the roadside and just watched them take-off as I drove
past :/
Regards,
Jeremy
On 4 October 2010 12:15, Tim Dolby <> wrote:
> Sounds like a really interesting trip Jeremy. I wouldn't be too concerned
> Jeremy about not seeing some of the rarer species in the mallee,
> particularly those linked to Triodia. I did a quick count and you saw 22 new
> species, not bad by anyones calculations! Dipping on species such as Mallee
> Emu-wren, Striated Grasswren and Malleefowl is not unusual at the best of
> times - especially not first time around. For example a bird tour guide
> recently missed them there at Nowingi, stating that it was very quiet.
>
> When I was at Hattah and Wyperfeld last week the amount of water in the
> area was amazing. Lake Hattah was literally bursting its banks. This is
> probably one reason things are a little quiet, especially around the Lake
> Hattah area. With all the water around, bird such as Regent Parrot are no
> longer reliant upon the lake for drinking, and therefore can disperse more
> widely. For example last week I saw a Regent Parrot flying over a winery
> near Mildura.
>
> Personally I find that a specific feature of Mallee birding is behaviour
> known as mixed-species flocking, even amongst some of the sedentary species
> such as Mallee Emu-wren and Striated Grasswren. Mix-species flocking is were
> flocks of usually insectivorous birds of different species join with each
> other and move together while foraging. Mix-flocks moves through the mallee
> at about 0.3 km an hour, with different species foraging in their preferred
> niches (on the ground, on trunks, in high or low foliage, and so on). Some
> species follow the flock all day, while others – such as Grasswren and
> Emu-wren, join it only as long as it crosses their own territories.
>
> The key to seeing a range of species is to travel through the area in hope
> of finding one of these flocks. Personally I found there are two ways of
> doing this:
>
> - Walk slowly and listen very carefully for bird calls and then follow it
> up straight away
>
> - Alternatively walk quickly, covering more territory, stopping when ever
> you think you hear something. Note that this is a good technique for seeing
> Grasswren and Emu-wren, which tend to move away or hide when approaching.
>
> FYI I've place some information of finding the rarer species of bird in the
> mallee on my report site. Hopefully it provide some assistance next time you
> visit, see:
>
>
> http://tim-dolby.blogspot.com/search/label/Finding%20Rare%20and%20Uncommon%20Birds%20in%20Northern%20Victoria
>
> Once you get used to the mallee you'll find that it is one of the most
> rewarding birding habitats in Australia. The colour of plants, soil and the
> birds - such as parrots, chats and fairy-wren - adds to its beauty. As you
> say not seeing some species simply gives you an excuse to go back. To be
> quite honest I'm usually glad that I've dipped on not seeing some birds for
> this very reason!
>
> Cheers,
>
> Tim Dolby
>
>
> ________________________________________
> From:
> on behalf of Jeremy Weiss
> Sent: Saturday, October 02, 2010 11:33 AM
> To:
> Subject: [Birding-Aus] Mallee trip report
>
> Hello everyone,
>
> Thought I would give a report of my trip to the mallee. I went from Monday
> September 27 to Friday Oct 1.
>
> First I should say upfront that I dipped on a lot of birds.
>
> I had the 'Where to See Birds in Victoria' book and was expecting to find a
> lot more than I did. I've only been birding for a year so I think this was
> just a problem of technique, often I would enter a dry forest and just find
> it completely silent and I wasn't sure if driving along tracks was better
> than going on foot.
>
> That said I had a great trip, still saw quite a few new birds and the
> scenery was just incredible.
>
> So here it goes:
>
>
>
> Monday September 27
>
>
>
> Set out from Melbourne early in the morning. Before the first destination,
> Lake Tyrrell, we stopped to take pictures of the amazing orange flowers
> that
> were popping up everywhere. I had heard that Central Australia was getting
> a
> lot of flowers and the Mallee didn't disappoint in that regard.
>
>
> http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/5041885994_b5bea4c40f_o.jpg
>
>
> After that, the first interesting sighting on the way was a Red-backed
> Kingfisher sitting on a power line in some town (sorry, completely
> forgotten
> the name but it was a small town on the Calder)
>
> I thought this was a good omen since I love kingfisher but arriving in Lake
> Tyrrell midday it was completely dead. Very windy and couldn't find any
> birds other than a Singing Honeyeater (new)
>
>
> After that we went to check out Gama Reserve on the way to Ouyen. Lots of
> activity here, mostly from a family of Brown Treecreepers (new) that were
> making a ton of noise. Did see the first Mulga Parrots (new) of the trip,
> some Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters, Singing Honeyeaters and caught a glimpse of
> a male Variegated Fairy-wren (new.)
>
>
> Next we headed for Bronzewing Flora and Fauna Reserve...at least I hope
> that's where we went. It was off Torneys Road and had a dam with water in
> it. Anyway saw a pair of Southern Whiteface (new,) a few Weebills as well
> as
> a beautiful male Splendid Fairy-wren (new). Got very close to him but
> unfortunately he was against an overcast sky.
>
>
> http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/5042523381_3340e17420_o.jpg
>
>
> Then it was off to Hattah-Kulkyne to set up camp. Saw this lizard strutting
> across the road; maybe someone can help me with an ID?
>
>
> http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/5041886022_043419f5d7_b.jpg
>
>
> Setting up the tent at the Lake Hattah campsite I saw my first Apostlebirds
> (new.) The novelty wore off quickly, let me tell you!
>
> That was the end of the first day since the afternoon was spent setting up
> the tent and camping gear.
>
>
>
>
>
> Tuesday September 28
>
>
>
> Tuesday morning we headed to the Nowingi track to look for Mallee
> Emu-wrens.
> This was a lot more difficult than I had originally thought. First I had
> only brought track pants with me and walking through the spinifex gave my
> legs a gentle stabbing every time. Next, although I enjoyed roaming the
> spinifex clumps, it was incredibly hard to find anything. Most of the
> sounds
> I heard was just loose bark scraping against the trees in the wind. Anyway
> didn't see any Emu-wrens that time, over an hour spent there and the only
> birds I saw were a few Yellow-plumed Honeyeaters (new)
>
> After a few nice panoramic views at Warepil Lookout we decided to try the
> track around Lake Mournpall. Not long after leaving the Lookout we saw a
> pair of Mulga Parrots fly into the woods. Aching to get some photos of one
> I
> headed out and managed a slightly blurry shot of the male
>
>
> http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4131/5041283929_22b71ceb50_o.jpg
>
>
> Luckily enough I stumbled on a family of Red-capped Robins while looking
> for
> the parrots. I love these guys and even managed to witness two males
> fighting, looked like fat little fireballs colliding with each other. Took
> tons of pics and the male was pretty indifferent to me as he went about
> foraging for the youngster
>
>
> http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/5041264205_7b8208f853_b.jpg
>
>
> On the way out I also saw a Ringneck Parrot (new) and a pair of Emu (new)
> from the car.
>
>
> After that we arrived at Lake Mournpall and decided to do a bit of the
> track
> (wasn't feeling up for doing the whole 9.5km lake loop.) There were lots of
> flowers around the track and they were covered in bees but I never got
> stung
> the entire trip.
>
> Anyway on the brief walk I saw Chestnut-rumped Thornbill (new) Brown-headed
> Honeyeater (new) , Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Rufous Whistler, Red-capped
> Robin and spent the rest of the time chasing Splendid Fairy-wrens. No good
> photos of them from that walk, they sure are a lot more skittish than the
> Superbs back home.
>
> On the way out we saw a pair of Mallee Ringnecks and I got my only good
> photo of them
>
>
> <goog_59613587>
>
> http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/5041264199_c2fb82187a_z.jpg
>
>
> I found it was pretty common to see pairs of parrots flying around the
> Mallee but they were all incredibly twitchy.
>
>
> A brief rest at the campground where I saw a Great crested Grebe on the
> lake
> before we headed back to Nowingi to look for the emu-wrens again.
>
>
> At Nowingi in the afternoon I again found Yellow-plumed Honeyeaters but
> this
> time also saw some friendly Jacky Winters. Caught a very blurry glimpse of
> a
> Chestnut Quail-Thrush (new) and I think I may have seen a Mallee Emu-wren:
>
> It was a bird the size of a wren and it jumped/flew out of a spinifex clump
> in front of me into another one. It landed in the base of another patch and
> seemed to burrow through to the other side where it flew in to a larger
> clump. I stood staring at the spinifex for about 5 minutes when I realised
> it must have taken an exit I wasn't watching and was long gone. I'm not too
> confident IDing stuff without a photo and I guess it could also have been a
> Striated Grasswren but i'm not sure.
>
>
> Slightly cheered up after seeing something we headed back to the campground
> for the night. Tried a bit of spotlighting heading from Lake Hattah to
> Mournpall but only turned up a few Brushtail Possums.
>
>
>
> Wednesday September 29
>
>
>
> Wednesday morning we headed back to Nowingi for one last shot at the Mallee
> Emu-wren. Again I only got photos of some Yellow-plumed Honeyeaters but I
> also had 2 possible Emu-wren encounters. I heard a soft squeaking and saw a
> wren-sized bird up ahead of me. Of course it was sitting with the sun
> behind
> it and by the time my camera focused it had magically vanished, that's how
> it goes I guess :P
>
> Back at the campground for a break I saw a few Yellow Rosellas around and
> also a pair of Black-Tailed Native Hens (new)
>
>
> http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/5041886038_613e2141f2.jpg
>
>
> and some Grey Teal in the water.
>
>
>
> In the afternoon we headed for Pink Lakes in Murray-Sunset National Park.
>
> Managed to avoid running over a Shingleback Lizard and got some nice photos
> as a reward :)
>
> Saw a pair of Blue Bonnets (new) by the lakes but couldn't get a decent
> shot. I hadn’t heard much about these birds before the trip which is a
> shame
> because they are just beautiful. I wish I had gotten a nice picture but
> they
> got spooked so easily. Also in the Pink Lakes area was a pair of Red-rumped
> Parrots, A Black-shouldered Kite, some Masked Lapwings with chicks, Rufous
> Songlark (new), and a ton of newly hatched locusts by the lake!
>
> Again I looked for Emu-wrens around the spinifex area around Pink Lakes but
> only found this lizard
>
>
> http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5041886028_2633c18631_o.jpg
>
>
> anyone up for an ID?
>
> On the way out I saw the only Major Mitchells Cockatoo (new) of the trip
> but
> just got a blurry photo.
>
>
> Nearing sunset we went to Wymlet Tank to try to find some parrots. Saw a
> pair of Banded Lapwings (new) and managed to get some nice shots of them
>
>
> http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4131/5041886000_b5bea4c40f_o.jpg
>
>
> Also in the area were more Brown Treecreepers, Red-rumped Parrots and a
> pair
> of Blue Bonnets that permitted me very distant shot.
>
>
> I had decided the night before that I was sick of camping (this was my
> first
> time in almost ten years and the nostalgia didn't last long) so we stayed
> at
> a motel in Mildura the last 2 nights.
>
>
>
> Thursday September 30
>
>
>
> Thursday morning we decided to try King's Billabong near Mildura. The Vic
> Parks website said it had fairy-wrens along the walking track....all lies!
> Nothing there but some Miners and a few Yellow Rosellas.
>
> After that we headed for Bronzewing again, this time trying the northern
> part from Merrett Rd. I was hoping for some Malleefowl or a shot at the
> Quail-thrush but didn't get any luck. It was very quiet, had a few Splendid
> Fairy-wrens but i couldn't get close with all the undergrowth but did get
> some decent shots of Chestnut-rumped Thornbills collecting nesting
> material.
>
> On the way out I got some distant shots of a Pallid Cuckoo (new)
>
>
> Next we went back to the south part of Bronzewing to get more shots of
> Splendid Fairy-wrens. They were infuriating to try to photograph; the
> Southern Whitefaces were a bit more accommodating. Chestnut-rumped
> Thornbill, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Brown Falcon, a flock of Varied
> Sitella,
> Rufous Whistler and an immature Red-capped Robin were also present.
>
>
> After that we headed to Gama Reserve again, I wanted to try getting a
> picture of the Variegated Fairy-wren. Spiny-cheeked, White-plumed and
> Singing Honeyeaters were present a long with those noisy Brown
> Treecreepers.
> Located the Variegated Fairy-wren again but they rarely went out in to the
> open. This was the best shot I could get :/
>
>
> http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/5041264211_60e9376ed5.jpg
>
>
> Made one last trip to Bronzewing as the sun was going down. A few new
> things
> were there this time, Brown-headed Honeyeater, Striated Pardalote,
> Cockatiel
> (new) and a Little Eagle (new.) As the light was failing we went back to
> Mildura for the last night.
>
>
>
>
>
> Friday October 1
>
>
> Friday morning we went back to Lake Tyrrell to look for the White-winged
> Fairy-wren or some colourful chats (anything other than white-fronted).
> Driving very slowly along Lake Tyrrell road I think I saw a White-winged
> Fairy-wren standing on a shrub but by the time my camera was raised it had
> flown off. It was very distant so I’m not that sure. I did see some
> Australasian Pipits, White-winged Triller, White-fronted Chat, an immature
> Red-capped Robin and very happily, a Rufous Fieldwren (new)
>
>
> http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/5042533837_8b5093e4f4_b.jpg
>
>
> After that we decided to make the last stop at Wyperfeld before heading
> back
> to Melbourne. On the way we stopped at Patchewollock to photograph some
> flowers and found some Variegated Fairywrens but couldn't get close.
>
> Eventually we entered northern Wyperfeld and it was just stunning. Yellow
> flowers everywhere, absolutely amazing. Birding was very good here as well.
> Just south of the Casuarina campgrounds, off the Meridian track I wandered
> around a bit and found a nice mixed feeding flock. Was happy to catch a
> female Mulga Parrot unawares and finally get some in-focus shots
>
>
> http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/5041886032_bf614f00a2_o.jpg
>
>
> would you believe that it was actually too close this time? Got very close
> to some Southern Whitefaces, saw some Ringneck Parrots, White-browed
> Babblers, Splendid Fairy-wrens and Red-capped Robins. Last birds of the
> trip
> were a pair of Blue Bonnets but in keeping with tradition they refused to
> let themselves be photographed :)
>
>
> After that we headed back to Melbourne, arriving Friday night.
>
>
> All in all I had a good trip. I think I would see it in a much better light
> if I'd gotten a photo of the Emu-wren but it wasn't to be. A few other
> disappointments like the lack of malleefowl, colourful chats, woodswallows
> and regent parrots were also pretty annoying.
>
> Weather was not too bad, had about 30 minutes of rain the second day but
> other than that it was mostly fine if a bit cold at night. The overcast
> days
> were frustrating as a week earlier they had it forecast as sunny the entire
> week but it was only a thin layer of clouds and still bright enough for
> photography.
>
>
> If I did it again I probably would have stayed at Wyperfeld or Pink Lakes
> instead of Hattah, found them to have a lot more birds and generally they
> seemed more scenic. Would probably have kept away from the Nowingi track
> but
> it's easy to say with hindsight :)
>
> I might have come off a bit negative about the experience but I always wish
> there was more I could see when out birding. I’m pretty happy with having
> seen around 20 new species (probably won’t count WW FW or Emu-wren.) Still
> had a blast and there's an excuse to go back now!
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