Hi bird fans,
Please see below a slightly self-indulgent, and overly long, trip report of
sunny Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park in north-east Victoria. For the full
report, with images, see http://tim-dolby.blogspot.com.au. Any comments,
suggestions, corrections, please don't hesitate to contact me. Is this
Australia'a best winter wildlife site?
Cheers,
Tim
Due to some research commitments at Charles Sturt University, I've recently
been travelling through Chiltern quite a bit. As a result I thought I'd update
my trip report page for Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park - the original report
was fairly scratchy anyway. If you ask Australian birdwatchers what their
favourite bird sites are, for many Chiltern easily slips into the top ten.
There's a wide range of literature available on Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park
(see the end of this report), so this report is really just my personal take on
this wonderful national park, wth a few thoughts on some of the plants, animals
and the best birding sites in the park.
Background notes
Created in October 2002, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park (21,560 ha) conserves
Victoria's Box‐Ironbark forests and woodlands, a unique habitat to Australia.
This type of forests once covered 13-14% of Victoria, ~3 million ha, by 2013
~85% has been cleared. So the park is an extremely important remnant of this
once widespread forest-type, and provides a really important habitat link
between the foothills of the Australian Alps and the Murray Riverine plains.
Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park is probably the best flora and fauna assemblage
of any Box-Ironbark forest in Australia. There are well-formed vehicle tracks
throughout the park, providing access to most areas. I've found the best way of
birding in the Chiltern is to follow these tracks looking for flowering
eucalypts. This process is relatively straight-forward: look for recently
fallen blossom and buds on the ground, and listen for the sounds of calling
birds. When flowering, the eucalypts in Chiltern produce an abundance of
nectar, food for hungry honeyeaters and parrots. So, using this technique is a
pretty effective way to track down the parks birds.
In terms of ornithological conservation, the most significant species is the
Regent Honeyeater, whic relies on the Box-Ironbark species for survival.
Historically seen in large flocks - in some cases several hundred strong -
Regent Honeyeater were once found around Adelaide in South Australia, and Fred
Smith once saw a Regent Honeyeater at Yarra Bend, a park in central Melbourne.
Current estimates suggest that there is now as few as 1000 birds. In Victoria
the main breeding sites for Regent Honeyeater around Chiltern and Benalla. In
winter Regent Honeyeater disperse widely i.e. recent records of birds in
Gippsland, with seasonal movements dictated by flowering eucalypts. The loss of
these eucalypts through habitat loss - especially in terms of corridors of
habitat - and the lack of regeneration of these tree species, seems to be the
key to their decline.
How to get there, where to stay
The park's located between Beechworth and Chiltern. It's 275 km north-east of
Melbourne, 34 km north of Wangaratta, and about 40 km south of Albury and
Wodonga. The best access is from the Hume Freeway at the Chiltern turn-off.
Camping and accommodation is available in the nearby towns of Chiltern and
Beechworth, and there's camping sites along Reedy Creek (Mt Pilot section of
the park) and basic bush camping at the Tuan Campsite, located on Depot Rd in
the north side of the park. My personal preference is to stay in the Lake
Anderson Caravan Park in Chiltern, and the Colonial Motel is also good value.
The flora
The park's dominate canopy trees are open eucalyptus such as the rugged Mugga
Ironbark (Eucalyptus sideroxylon), Grey (E. microcarpa) and White Box (E.
albens), Red Stringybark (E. macrorhyncha) and Blakely’s Red Gum (E. blakelyi).
Many of these trees flower in sequence, providing a consistent nectar source
for the resident and visiting bird species. Occasionally Mugga Ironbark and the
box species produce hybrids. There are good examples of this at the eastern end
of the White Box Walking Track, just east of the Honeyeater Picnic Area. The
national park also preserves a range of endangered tree species, such as the
Warby Range Swamp Gum (E. cadens), and the blue-leafed Beechworth Silver
Stringybark (E. aff. cinerea) - look for the later at the Woolshed Falls. Much
of eucalypts in the park are covered by Box Mistletoe (Amyema miquelli) and
Fleshy Mistletoe (A. miraculosa ssp boormanii), a favourite plant of many
species of birds notably Painted Honeyeater. Other eucal
pts include River Red Gum (E. camaldulensis) and Yellow Box (E. melliodora),
mostly near the parks wetlands such as the Chiltern Valley No 1 and No 2 Dams
and Frogs Hollow. There are also significant roadsides habitats that run
through farmland bordering the park, such along Fishers Lane and Toveys Rd.
Chiltern has Australia's largest reserved population of Black Cypress-pine
(Callitris endlicherii), mainly on the dry granite ridges in the east of the
park near Eldorado. Travelling through these Black Cypress-pine forests reminds
me of Terrick Terrick National Park in central Victoria, a park dominated by
White Cypress-pine (C. glaucophylla). Perhaps surprisingly the cypress-pine
forests near Chiltern are under-visited by birders, myself included. I might
correct this oversight during the forthcoming spring.
The park has a prolific array of shrubs that includes many wattles and
wildflowers. During winter and autumn the shrub layer is relatively quiet -
when compared to spring - however it still has a wonderful selection flowering
plants and contrasting colours. You might see Hoary Sunray (Leucochrysum
albicans), Slender Rice-flower (Pimelia linifolia), and Urn Heath (Melichrus
urceolatus) - a plant somewhat similar to Heath Murtle. One autumn flowering
flower is the Common Fringe-lily (Thysanotus tuberosus), surely one of
Australia's most strikingly beautiful wildflowers, its frilly edges of their
three petaled flowers only last for one day.
Wattles include Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha), Varnish Wattle (A.
verniciflua) and the winter flowering Spreading Wattle (A. genistifolia), with
its delightful lemon colour. The Deane’s Wattle (A. deanei) is a rare local
endemic. The Spur-wing Wattle (A. triptera) was planted in the park during the
1960s. It was sourced from the only natural occurring Victorian population in
the Warby Range State Park, in case of local extinction. Cherry Ballart
(Exocarpos cupressiformis) features highly in the park, and is a favoured tree
for many species of birds, including honeyeater such as Regent Honeyeater,
using its dense foliage for roosting and to search for small insects. (Indeed
the relationship between Cherry Ballart and Regent Honeyeater is probably
understated in the literature.) The wattles and the Cherry Ballart contrast
beautifully with the hard black fissured trunks of the Mugga Ironbark and Grey
Box.
Another winter flowering plant is the Broom Bitter-pea (Daviesia genistifolia).
A low-growing egg and bacon style plant, it has a delightful tinge of orange
and mauve. Somewhat similar it the apply-named Handsome Flat-pea (Platylobium
formosum). Then there is the blue Common Hovea (Hovea linearis).
It is worth searching for the extremely rare and critically endangered Mountain
Swainson Pea (Swainsona recta). The total number of reported plants in
Australia ranges from ~2,700 to ~4,000. Presumed extinct in Victoria, until a
single population of four plants was found near Beechworth in 2001, discovered
by none-other than Eileen Collins.
Spring is the time for prolific wildflowers in Chiltern. For those fascinated
by our native orchids - myself included - with patience late-autumn/spring is
the time to search for them. Look for the the spectacular Crimson Spider Orchid
(Caladenia concolor), Lepord Orchid (Diuris pardina), Mt Pilot Spider Orchid
(C. pilotensis) - an endemic to Victoria's northern inland slopes - and the
rare Yellow Hyacinth Orchid (Dipodium hamiltonianum) - another with a
leopard-like colouration, it's covered in purple spots.
In spring Golden Everlasting (Brachyscome bracteata) cover the ground at
Bartley's Block. Along with Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha), the block turns
into yellow-wonderland. Another yellow-flowering plant is the Woolly Ragwort
(Senecio garlandii). An erect perennial, daisy-like flower, growing to ~2 high,
it was previously only known from one site in Victoria. Two new sites have been
found, one of those in the Box-Ironbark forest in Chiltern. The total
population consisted of a single individual! (The best spot to look for Woolly
Ragwort is actually The Rock Nature Reserve, about 30 km south of Wagga Wagga.)
At some sites the Chocolate-lily (Arthropodium strictum) can completely blanket
the ground - such as around the car park at Yeddonba. The flower is a
delightful blue, while the use of chocolate in the names alludes to the scent
of the flowers which resembles chocolate. With their racemose inflorescence ~1
m high (great term that means the flower stalk continues to produc
e new flower buds during growth), when the Chocolate-lilies flower, they
flower in large clusters they look spectacular. Fringed Heath-myrtle
(Micromyrtus ciliatus) is common in certain areas of the park, particularly
around Mt Pilot along the walk to the summit.
The Austral Grass Tree (Xanthorrhoea glauca) occur in the park, although not as
common as you'd expect. For example, they're far more common in the Warby
Ranges, which has a similar environment. The flowering stems attract large
numbers of butterflies, hoverflies and other insect. These in turn attracts
birds. I've found that the Xanthorrhoea is an excellent nesting-plant for
various woodland birds such as Golden Whistler - it's always worth having a
look in their dense grassy foliage for nesting activity.
I should point out that the Chiltern is a great place to see fungi. The most
dramatic are the Smooth Cage (Ileodictyon gracile), an intriguing basket fungi,
the wonderful Earthstar (Triplex Geastrum) and the stunning Blue Stain
(Chlorociboria sp). These are all spectacular to see. On several occasions in
Chiltern I've met groups of mycologist (fungi people), scouring the ground for
fungal fruit.
Chiltern's animals
The Box-Ironbark forests around Chiltern are a fantastic place to see a
selection of native Australian mammals. Effectively the mammalian fauna
consists of large grazers, medium-sized browsers, small ground insectivores,
arboreal species and the bats.
In terms of large grazers there are two - the Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus
giganteus), common, while the Black (Swamp) Wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) is often
seen darting off the dirt tracks - there's usually an animal or two resident
along most watercourse and creek lines. The Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) is
relatively common, while the Common Wombat (Vombatus ursinus) is surprisingly
rare. I've not seen them in Chiltern, but I've heard that recently a burrow was
found, with associated diggings and droppings. I'm not sure what their status
in the Mt Pilot section, particularly the far-east near Beechworth? They are
certainly quite common in the Beechworth Historic Park.
The main small ground insectivores in the park is the wonderful Yellow-footed
Antechinus (Antechinus flavipes). Also known as the Mardo, a local shop keeper
refers to them as the Chiltern Golden Mouse. At times is can be quite common;
recently I seem to be seeing them every stop I make. An intriguing animal, it's
comparatively diurnal when compared to other similar species. It's infamous -
for want of better word - for its sexual behaviour, engaging in a mating-frenzy
that results in the stress-related death of all adult males before they reach
one year old! I've seen them at a number of location in Chiltern. Recently I've
seen them at Chiltern Valley No 2 Dam - they made the small diggings just
before the bird hide. I've also seen them along Ryans Rd, most often on the
ground, but also feeding high up in the canopy, with an animal darting in and
out of a small tree hollow ~60 feet up a Grey Box.
The arboreal, tree-dwelling species are particularly well-represented in
Chiltern-Mt Pilot-National Park. Late one night - while spotlighting for owl -
in the beam of the cars headlights, I saw a Brush-tailed Phascogale (Phascogale
tapoatafa) run (or rather bounce) across the Chiltern-Beechworth Rd. It then
leaped into a roadside tree. This Brush-tailed Phascogale is heavily dependent
upon the Box-Ironbark ecosystem - aside from Chiltern, I've seen them several
times at Heathcote-Graytown National Park.
Three gliders (Petaurus sp) are present in the park. The Sugar Glider (Petaurus
breviceps) has an alternative name - the Short-headed Flying Phalanger! Not
bad. That's what I will call them from now on. A good spot to look for them is
Frog Hollow, jumping between trees, and listen for their barking call just
after dusk - a yip, yip or yap,yap, a bit like the bark of a small dog. Another
glider, the Squirrel Glider (Petaurus norfolcensis) is almost twice the size of
a Sugar Glider. It's uncommon, and has a preference for roadside trees and
watercourses in the southern area of the park. I'm yet to see Feathertail
Glider at Chiltern - it's the smallest of the local gliders, occasionally
observed along river line and Box-Ironbark forests feeding amongst the heavily
blossoming flowering eucalypts. All the gliders are highly social, and very
territorial, so where there's one there's sure to be others. The gliders, along
with the Brush-tailed Phascogale and the bats, seem to be bene
fiting from the erection of mammal boxes. Common Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus
vulpecula) and Common Ringtail Possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) are both
reasonably common, preferring areas with large hollow-bearing trees, and can be
seen around Chiltern's town parks. A good spot to look for Koala (Phascolarctos
cinereus) is around the Honeyeater Picnic Area.
Bat species feature predominantly in Chiltern. The extensive list includes
Southern Freetail Bat (Mormopterus planiceps), there used to be a large colony
of inside the historical Chiltern Jail, White-striped Freetail Bat (Tadarida
australis), Gould's (Chalinolobus gouldii) and Chocolate Wattle Bat (C. morio),
Gould's (Nyctophilus gouldi) and Lesser Long-eared Bat (N. geoffroyi), Inland
Broad-nosed Bat (Scotorepens balstoni), and Large (Vespadelus darlingtoni),
Southern (V. regulus) and Little Forest (V. vulturnus) Bat. All are vulnerable
to loss of roost sites in tree hollows and, of course, loss of habitat.
Other native mammals recorded in the national park include Water Rat (Hydromys
chrysogaster), Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus), both predominately from the
Mt Pilot section. Every now and again there's are unconfirmed report of
Spot-tailed (Tiger) Quoll (Dasyurus maculatus). It's mainland Australia's
largest marsupial carnivore, with the last confirmed sighting in the mid-1970s.
Unfortunately a couple of introduced animals seem to be increasing, Sambar Deer
(Rusa unicolor) and Hare (Lepus europaeus). A couple of weeks ago I flushed a
Hare from its hide in very centre of the national park.
The birds in the park
Over 220 bird species have been recorded, with a full list available on the
Friends of Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park website. That makes Chiltern second
best birding site in Victoria, about 40 behind the Western Treatment Plant, and
a few ahead of Hattah-Kulkyne, Croajingolong, Greater Bendigo, Warby-Ovens,
Terrick Terrick and the Little Desert. In effect, aside from some silly
treatment plant, it is the best birding site in the state! By way of comparison
to other birding sites in Australia, Chiltern-Mt Pilot NP reminds me of the
Capertee Valley and Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve in NSW, Sundown and Girraween
NPs in Queensland and, perhaps, Dryandra Reserve (for various reasons) in
Western Australia.
Visiting birders target species Regent, Painted and Black-chinned Honeyeater,
Swift and Turquoise Parrot, Square-tailed Kite, Painted Button-quail,
White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Grey-crowned Babbler, Speckled Warbler,
White-browed and White-breasted Woodswallow, Chestnut-rumped Heathwren, Western
and White-throated Gerygone, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Diamond Firetail and
night birds such as Barking Owl and White-throated Nightjar. In the Mt Pilot
section highlights include Australian King-Parrot, Satin Bowerbird (winter),
Spotted Quail-thrush and Leaden Flycatcher.
The more common species in Chiltern include Yellow-tufted, Fuscous,
White-naped, White-plumed and Brown-headed Honeyeater as well as Eastern
Spinebill, Red Wattlebird, Noisy and Little Friarbird. Other common birds
include Eastern Rosella, Little Lorikeet, Red-rumped Parrot, Common Bronzewing,
Laughing Kookaburra, Brown Tree-creeper, Jacky Winter, Scarlet, Eastern Yellow
and Red-capped Robin, Golden and Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush,
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Restless Flycatcher, Dusky Woodswallow, White-browed
Babbler, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Silvereye, Mistletoebird, plus a few
others.
Some of the uncommon, rare and vagrant species recorded include Freckled Duck,
Brolga, Black-tailed Native-hen, Bush Stone-curlew, Latham's Snipe, Australian
Painted-Snipe, Black-eared Cuckoo, Red-backed Kingfisher, Black and, very
rarely, Grey Falcon, Cockatiel, Southern Whiteface, Masked Woodswallow, Rose
Robin, White-backed Swallow, Crescent Honeyeater, Cicadabird, Double-barred
Finch and, more recently, honeyeaters such as Black, Scarlet and White-fronted
Honeyeater. Hooded Robin is becoming increasingly rare in the forest, and
Crested Bellbird, last recorded in 1991, is considered locally extinct.
Bartley's Block
Bartley's Block is an old bush paddocks bordered by Box-Ironbark, and is
probably the most visited birdwatching spot in the park. As with most birding
habitats, fringe habitats provide some of the best birding, and this is
certainly the case with Bartley's Block. It's located ~3 km from Chiltern, on
the left/west side of Howlong-Chiltern Rd. The best access is via a small car
park at the north side of the block - blink and you'll miss it.
I have found the best technique for birding Bartley's is to simply walk around
the block's boundary, a total distance of about a kilometre. This will usually
produce a wide diversity of woodland such as Little Lorikeet, Jacky Winter,
Mistletoebird, Red-browed Finch, Rufous and Golden Whistler, Restless
Flycatcher, robin's such as Scarlet, Red-capped, Flame (winter), occasionally
Rose Robin and, in spring and summer, you can add the following to the list:
Sacred Kingfisher, Peaceful Dove,Western Gerygone, White-winged Triller, Rufous
Songlark, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo and Olive-backed Oriole.
It's worth keeping an eye open for raptors to look for include Brown Goshawk
and Collared Sparrowhawk.
Bartley's Block (and Chiltern) must be one the best places in Australia to see
honeyeaters, rivaling most site in Australia. An amazing 18 species have been
recorded here, including Eastern Spinebill, Red and Little Wattlebird, Little
and Noisy Friarbird, Noisy Miner, and Black-chinned, Yellow-faced Honeyeater,
Brown-headed, White-naped, White-eared Honeyeater, Regent, Yellow-tufted,
Fuscous, White-plumed, Black, Scarlet and Painted Honeyeater. Not a bad list!
Painted Honeyeater is one of the most sought-after, usually found from spring
to autumn, they have a particularly liking the flowering Box Mistletoe in the
larger Mugga Ironbark on north-west side of the block. In April this year there
were 5 birds feeding in the same trees tree!
Speckled Warbler occur along the south-east side of the block, near the two
small dams, and in the area of scattered Golden Wattle at the top of the block.
The area around the wattle is also excellent for smaller passerines such as
Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Red-browed Finch, Western Gerygone and robin's such as
Scarlet, Red-capped, and vey occasionally Rose.
On the north-east side of the paddock you'll find the old Bartley Brewery.
Operational from 1861-1913, it's important to the history of Chiltern. It's
also a good area to look for Turquoise Parrot and Western Gerygone (in summer,
listen for them calling the larger gums near the car park). Remnant exotic
trees around the old brewery site include a couple of very old Japanese
Persimmon trees (Diospyros kaki). In autumn the their leaves turn a spectacular
orange colour and, in late April, the trees fruit ripen, attracting dozen of
birds, such as such as Golden Whistler, Mistletoebird, Eastern Spinebill,
Brown-headed and White-naped Honeyeater and Pied Currawong to name a few, all
gorging themselves. There is nothing better that just sitting under these trees
and watch the continual procession of feeding birds.
Honeyeater Picnic Area and Cyanide Dam
Along with Bartley's Block, the Honeyeater Picnic Area at Cyanide Dam is
probably Chiltern's best known birding site. Until recently, it was the best
place to see Regent Honeyeater and it still has potential; for example in
spring 2012 a pair of Regent Honeyeater bred near the junction of All Nations
Rd and Cyanide Rd. I've found the best birding area is the south-east side of
the dam, being particularly good an hour or so after dawn. Birds seen here, and
around the dam generally, include Turquoise Parrot, Painted Button-quail,
Black-chinned, Yellow-tufted and Fuscous Honeyeater, Little Lorikeet, Scarlet
Robin, Restless Flycatcher, Mistletoebird and, in summer, Sacred Kingfisher,
Peaceful Dove, Olive-backed Oriole and White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike (most often
seen walking north along Cyanide Rd). The dam is particularly good for Brown
Treecreeper and Eastern Yellow Robin, both species surprisingly tame, while on
the dam itself is usually a pair of Australasian Grebe. The dam is
also a summer hawking site for White-throated Nightjar.
White Box Walking Track
The White Box Walking Track starts just north of the Honeyeater Picnic Area.
It's total length is just over 8 km so it takes a good couple of hours to
complete. I usually just do a small loop at start of the walk: walking up the
hill to the top of the first major ridge, then turn east and walk down the
forest slopes back to Cyanide Rd. When the White Box is flowering, the
east-facing downward slope can an excellent for both Swift and Turquoise
Parrot, and several pairs of Painted Button-quail are are usually in this area,
particularly in the small valleys the bottom of the ridge. It's also a good
spot to see Yellow-footed Antechinus and Lace Monitor (particularly summer,
when they're more active). Other birds to look for include Scarlet and
Red-capped Robin, Western and White-throated Gerygone (summer), Crested
Shrike-tit, Varied Sittella and White-throated Treecreeper.
Green Hill Dam
A small wildlife dam n Green Hill Rd, between Magenta Rd and the Pipeline
Track, it's located on the northern edge of the forest. Over the last couple of
years Green Hill Dam has become perhaps the most reliable place to see Regent
Honeyeater. It's a classic Box-Ironbark dam, surrounded by bush. Sometimes the
sounds of birds can be almost deafening - especially mornings and and evenings
- with some of Australia's most vocal honeyeaters such as Noisy Friarbird, Red
Wattlebird, Yellow-tufted and Fuscous Honeyeater all calling continually. In
terms of birding, it's a good spot just to sit down to have lunch or a cup of
tea. Be patient, sit, wait and listen for the birds to come to you.
Somewhat similar to Green Hill Dam, the Lappins Dam (-36.131064,146.567389)
another good wildlife dam: in November 2012 a Regent Honeyeater was seen here.
Magenta Mine
A historical mine, and an adjacent dam, the Mugga Ironbark around the car park
is excellent for honeyeaters such as Black-chinned, Fuscous, Yellow-tufted and
Noisy Friarbird. I've also seen Swift Parrot here. For this reason it was as
chosen the release site by the Regent Honeyeater recovery team. The birds were
reared at Taronga Zoo, with a hope that they'd provide a boost to the wild
Regent Honeyeater population. Of the forty or so released birds, about half
were fitted with radio transmitters. The monitoring program seems to be have
been a great success, with most birds getting through the cold nights and some
have put on weight since being released.
Recently I was surprised to hear a Scarlet Honeyeater calling near the mine.
Tracking it down, it was a stunning scarlet-coloured male. Apparently, in the
last couple of years, a couple of birds have been resident at Chiltern. Seeing
it intrigued me, raising a number of questions. What was it doing here? In
winter! Calling in winter! They're normally a summer migrant to Victoria's
east-coast, inhabiting coastal temperate forests. Have these birds accidentally
headed up the west-side of the Great Dividing Range, rather than the east
(their normal migratory pathway)? Perhaps these are the birds seen in Melbourne
in the summer of 2009/10. Upon reaching Chiltern they reached a habitat
dead-end, unable to move north? Conversely, they stuck around because the
eucalypts around Chiltern flower with regularity, enabling the, to hang on,
albeit in very small numbers.
Frog's Hollow
Frog's Hollow (or Frog Hollow) is a pleasant small wetland and old dam that
used to be a site of an early gold crusher. Located on the Barnawartha Rd ~3 km
from Chiltern, it's surrounded by River Red Gum. Like some of the other dam
sites in Chiltern, the bird-life here can be prolific and at times almost
deafening. It's good site to add Australian Reed-Warbler and Little Grassbird
to your Chiltern list, and one of the best site for White-bellied
Cuckoo-shrike, occasionally seen in the trees above the picnic ground.
Klotz Track
This is a classic Box-Ironbark forest track that's located in the north-east
side of the park, accessed via Green Hill Rd, just past the Green Hill Dam.
When the trees are flowering, it can be a great place for forests specialists.
I usually stop here to look for Regent Honeyeater, looking anywhere flowers
appear on the ground. Once I walked around Klotz Track for several hours
looking for Regents, seeing Painted Button-quail, and Swift and Turquoise
Parrot, but no Regents. Upon returning, a Regent Honeyeater was feeding in the
tree directly above the car!
Ryans Road and the Barnawatha Treatment Plant
Ryans Rd has proved a real gem in the park. It runs along the northern edge,
through excellent Box-Ironbark forest. Some of the honeyeaters recently
recorded along Ryans Rd include Fuscous, Yellow-tufted, Black-chinned,
White-naped, White-plumed, Brown-headed, Scarlet, Black, Regent and
White-fronted (2nd record for Chiltern). Of course White-fronted and Black
Honeyeater are normally semi-arid/Mallee woodland birds so, again - like the
Scarlet - what are they doing here? It was only recently birders where
speculating, and predicting, where in Australian you might see both Black and
Scarlet Honeyeater together. Well, that place is Chiltern!
Recently I've spent quite a bit of time walking the hillsides adjacent to Ryans
Rd. Almost without exceptions, each time I have, I've seen Painted Button-quail
and Yellow-footed Antechinus (two highlights for the park) as well as Little
Lorikeet, Common Bronzewing, Brown Goshawk, Restless Flycatcher, Scarlet and
Eastern Yellow Robin, Jacky Winter, Golden Whistler, Spotted Pardalote, Dusky
and, occasionally, White-browed Woodswallow, Varied Sittella and Crested
Shrike-tit. It's worth scanning the treatment plant Ryans Rd for waterfowl,
such as Grey and Chestnut Teal, Pacific Black Duck, Hardhead and at the moment
Flame Robin (a winter visitor) are feeding in the grounds of the plant.
Pipeline Track
Requiring high-clearance in places, the Pipeline Track is 4x4 track (X-Trail
and Forester would be o.k). The track crosses a number of steep ridge lines,
with the highest immediately north of the Magenta Mine. The top of the ridge is
a roosting area for Dusky, White-browed and, less commonly, Masked Woodswallow,
particular summer and autumn.
Fishers Road
The roadside trees along Fishers Rd is a local site for Grey-crowned Babbler.
Locate north-side of the park, the road is a significant roadside area,
providing a high-value vegetation remnants, important for habitat linkages and
connectivity. The Babbler's are most often seen about half way between
Chiltern-Howlong Rd and the old Howlong Rd, with the best way to find them to
look for the distinctive collection of large dome, stick nests - most are
alternative nests/roosting platforms. The birds are usually nearby. Other
birds I've seen along Fishers Rd include Dollarbird, many many Eastern Rosella,
some Crimson Rosella including occasional Yellow ssp flaveolus, and several
Yellow-footed Antechinus.
Chiltern Valley No 1, No 2 Dams, and Wenkes Rd wetland
The Chiltern Valley No 1 Dam, a large old mining dam, is an excellent bird
watching area. It's accessed just before the corner of Wenkes Rd and Chiltern
Valley Rd, ~3 km from Chiltern. Some of the waterfowl and waterbirds recorded
here include Australian Shoveler and Musk, Pink-eared and, occasionally,
Freckled Duck, Australasian, Hoary-headed and Great Crested (rare) Grebe,
Latham's Snipe (uncommon summer), Australasian Darter, White-necked Heron,
Great Egret, Nankeen Night Heron, Great and Little Black Cormorant,
Yellow-billed Spoonbill, Red-kneed and Black-fronted Dotterel and Black-winged
Stilt. Whistling Kite hunt over the dam, and look for other raptors such as
Peregrine and Brown Falcon, Australian Hobby, Little, Wedge-tailed and,
occasionally, White-bellied Sea-Eagle. It's a particularly good spot to see
White-breasted Woodswallow. In the River Red Gum bordering the dam, more common
birds such Little Friarbird, Restless Flycatcher, and Crested Shrike-tit,
foraging for
insect on the loose bark. Pied Butcherbird, uncommon here, lives along the
roadside in this area. Some of the other birds recorded here include Latham's
Snipe, Black-tailed Native-hen, Intermediate Egret, Budgerigar, Tree and Fairy
Martin, Dollarbird, Rainbow Bee-eater and Masked Woodswallow.
I should have mentioned that just before you get to the turn-off to the No 1
Dam, it's worth scanning the small wetland along Wenkes Rd. These are
well-known for attracting skulking crakes and rails; Buff-banded Rail,
Baillon's, Australian Spotted and Spotless Crake, Black-tailed Native-hen and,
more commonly, Purple Swamphen, Dusky Moorhen and Eurasian Coot have all been
recorded. The best time to see them is during warmer months, when their food
source, the invertebrates, are more active.
Chiltern Valley No.2 Dam is the largest wetland in the area. Another old mine
dam, it's an excellent birding wetland and there’s a nice bird hide to boot.
Many of the species recorded at Dam 1 have also recorded here. The list
includes Brolga, Latham's Snipe, Intermediate Egret, Australasian Darter, Royal
Spoonbill, Black-tailed Native-hen, Red-kneed Dotterel,White-breasted
Woodswallow, Dollarbird, White-backed Swallow, Little Friarbird, Blue-faced
Honeyeayer, Rainbow Bee-eater, Diamond Firetail and Double-barred Finch, the
last seen recently by Michael Ramsey along Chiltern Valley Rd near the gate.
Red-bellied Black Snake can be quite common, particularly in the Tall Sedge
(Carex appressa) around the lake, so tread carefully in the grassy stuff. One
thing this snake is hunting is Yellow-footed Antechinus. Quite common in the
surrounding woodland - the diggings on the path just before the bird hide are
theirs. It was nice to see that there's a new metal bird hide at Da
m 2 (thanks to the Friends of). Be careful, though, when closing the hide door
- it makes a lot of noise.
Lake Anderson and Lake Anderson Caravan Park
In terms of 'birding' accommodation, the cabins at the Lake Anderson Caravan
Park are excellent. Lake Anderson is also the best place in the area to see
Blue-faced Honeyeater and Little Friarbird. Other birds around the lake include
Straw-necked and Sacred Ibis, Eastern and Crimson Rosella (occasionally Yellow
ssp flaveolus), Rufous Whistler, Yellow-rumped and Yellow Thornbill and look
for Eurasian Tree Sparrow. Around the lake you can usually see Hardhead,
Australian Wood Duck, Pacific Black Duck, Grey Teal, Mallard, Black-fronted
Dotterel, White-necked and White-faced Heron, in summer, Australian
Reed-Warbler and Little Grassbird, and the island is a roost site for Great,
Little Pied and Little Black Cormorant and sometimes Nankeen Night Heron.
Chiltern Golf Course
In summer, it's worth walking along Howlong Rd on the edge of the golf course.
In summer I've found it to be a particularly good spot for seeing
Yellow-throated Gerygone. I reckon the golf course is under-bird watched. For
instance I can find no bird lists for the golf course, probably because birders
just don't play golf (fair enough), a shame, golf course are generally an
excellent bird habitat. I wonder how often Regent Honeyeater and Swift Parrot
have used the trees along the fairways, and beside the greens, to feed. (In
Melbourne, for instance, the Royal Park golf course is one of southern Victoria
most reliable sites for seeing Swift Parrot.)
Mt Pilot section and the summit
Mt Pilot is in the south-east section of the park. Part of the Barambogie-Mt
Pilot Ranges (or the Barambogies), it differs from the northern section because
it's largely granite country. The difference in geology produces different
habitat types to those in the Chiltern section, and therefore some different
species of birds. The Mugga Ironbark are absent and the granite hills have
extensive areas of native Black Cypress-pine.
If you are spending several days in Chiltern, or Beechworth, the 300m walk up
to the open rocky granite summit of Mt Pilot is a must. It provides spectacular
360 degrees views, and gives you a real feel for the area. Scan updrafts above
the forests and countryside for raptors such as Wedge-tailed and Little Eagle,
Peregrine Falcon and there is a chance of Square-tailed Kite (cruising about
the canopy between spring and autumn). In spring the walk up to the summit is
covered in wildflowers. Your best chance of seeing a Spotted Quail-thrush is
the woodlands around Mt Pilot - look for them feeding on the ground,
particularly along ridge lines. The wetter forests of the Mt Pilot section
favour birds such as Gang Gang Cockatoo, Leaden Flycatcher, Rufous Fantail,
Rose Robin, Spotted Pardalote, Buff-rumped Thornbill, Chestnut-rumped Heathwren
and White-browed Treecreeper, and night birds such as Owlet Nightjar,
White-throated Nightjar, Southern Boobook and a possibility of Barking O
wl.
Yeddonba
Yeddonba (an aboriginal name for the Black Cypress-pine) is located at the
western base of Mt Pilot. It is good site for smaller passerines such as Yellow
(feeding in Silver Wattle around the car park), Buff-rumped, Striated and Brown
Thornbill, Weebill and, in summer, Western and Yellow-throated Gerygone. At
night, it is also worth listening out for Barking Owl. I've heard and seen them
here, and along Tovey's Rd. A few weeks ago there was a large group of Satin
Bowerbird - surprisingly rare winter visitor to the park moved along Tovey's Rd
into a farm orchard. Yeddonba is also a great spot to see Chocolate Fringe-lily
flowering in profusion around the car park in spring. It is really worth having
a look at the Aboriginal red-ochre painting which is believed to be of a
Tasmanian Tiger (Thylacine), a species that became extinct on mainland
Australia ~2000 years ago.
While in the Mt Pilot, section it's worth visiting the Woodshed Falls. Five
Minutes from Beechworth, the falls are spectacular after heavy rain. Mt
Barambogie is also interesting. The forests are dominated by stingybark, Red
Box and Blakely's Red Gum. The summit, like Mt Pilot, is covered by large
granite boulders. It's accessible via a rough 4x4 track, unfortunately not-well
sign-posted.
Summing up and more info
If you plan to visit Chiltern, aside from this report, it's really worth
tracking down some of the other literature available, in particularly Chris
Tzaros's a fantastic book entitled Wildlife of the Box-Ironbark Country, Sean
Dooley wrote an excellent chapter on Chiltern in Where to See Birds in
Victoria, Barry Trail produced a booklet entitled Bird Trails of Chiltern (13
pages), available free from the Chiltern Visitor Information Centre, and
lookout for an article written in 1999 in the Australian Bird Watcher entitled
'Current and past status of the birds of Chiltern - a Box-Ironbark forest in
north-eastern Victoria.' (1996, 16:309-326, Traill, B.J., E. Collins, P. Peake,
S. Jessup). Although I haven't looked at this article recently, for many years
it was my essential resource when visiting the Chiltern. Further, individual
sites in Chiltern are well-documented in Eremaea. There is also a range of
excellent information on the Friend of Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park web
site - read through the archive their newsletter. So (as mentoned at the
beginning of this report) this is my personal, slightly self-indulgent, take on
this wonderful Box-Ironbark national park.
Dean Ingwersen, who, like me has spent quite a bit of time in Chiltern recently
(as part of the Regent Honeyeater release program), described the park to me
beautifully: "Chiltern's a bit like a plum pudding. Incredibly rich, jam-packed
full of wildlife and, in terms of the birds, you just don't know what will turn
up next!" Just after Dean said this, we both heard a White-fronted Honeyeater
calling, a species normally associated with the semi-arid woodlands - the
closest populations are easily 200 km away. A few minutes later I flushed a
small covey of Painted Button-quail and then, another 15 minutes later I was
looking at a spectacular Scarlet Honeyeater. What a place!
Cheers,
Tim Dolby
This email, including any attachment, is intended solely for the use of the
intended recipient. It is confidential and may contain personal information or
be subject to legal professional privilege. If you are not the intended
recipient any use, disclosure, reproduction or storage of it is unauthorised.
If you have received this email in error, please advise the sender via return
email and delete it from your system immediately. Victoria University does not
warrant that this email is free from viruses or defects and accepts no
liability for any damage caused by such viruses or defects.
===============================
To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
send the message:
unsubscribe
(in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
to:
http://birding-aus.org
===============================
|
