Having left Gluepot we made the most of Sunday afternoon by driving
straight to Hattah. We successfully picked up the tricky to see
Mallee Emu-wren on the Nowingi Track before heading into the park
proper. Compared to Gluepot Hattah seemed relatively quiet, albeit it
was getting late in the day: there were a few parrots: Red-rumped,
Ringneck, Mulga, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Galah and Long-billed
Corella.
Highlights were a couple of Emu, and the first Pied Butcherbird of
the trip.
There were large groups of Black-tailed Native Hen, and a big family
of Apostlebirds at the Lake Hattah campground. We cruised along the
Old Calder Highway track a couple of times hoping for Malleefowl, but
no luck so drove to Sea Lake for the night.
First thing on Monday we checked out Lake Tyrrel, which was also very
quiet. A few Singing Honeyeaters, groups of White-winged Fairy-wren
in the salt bush, a Nankeen Kestrel and a couple of Blue Bonnets were
all we picked up (though if we’d seen Hedley and Irena Earl’s report
from Sunday we might have scoped the lake a bit more thoroughly!)
Unfortunately we also saw a Fox.
Next stop was Goschen Bushland Reserve, which was buzzing with
activity despite its small size. We’d barely got out of the car and
we saw Black Honeyeater, and quickly added Masked and White-browed
Woodswallow, White-winged Triller, Budgerigar, White-browed Babbler,
Brown Treecreeper, Yellow Rosella, Hooded Robin, Singing and White-
plumed Honeyeater. Highlights were Black-eared Cuckoo and a male Pied
Honeyeater. We passed some Cockatiels as we drove along the Ultima-
Lake Boga Road.
A brief stop at Round Lake added a few water birds including Black
Swan, Musk Duck and Great Crested Grebe.
As we drove along on the way back south we glanced at the farm dams
but the most any had were Wood Ducks. We did pick up more raptors
along the road though – Wedge Tailed Eagle, Black Kite, Black-
shouldered Kite, Whistling Kite, Nankeen Kestrel and Brown Falcon!
There ends the trip report from three Poms in Oz : )
Cheers
Tony Keene, Ed Williams, Mike Honeyman
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