Hi all,
With a 3 day weekend we needed to get out of Melbourne. Camping would take
too much organising (well, OK, truthfully, winter in Vic is a bit cold for
a tent these days - smile). We got a room at the Ouyen Motel and had
dinners at the hotel across from the railway station. The food was OK pub
food but the building, opened in 1919 when the publican was a Mr Greed, is
special. There is a grand central staircase out of the foyer and all the
doors have ornate lead-light panels announcing the "Commercial Travellers"
room, "Ladies Lounge", "Bar" and three "Dinning Rooms". I felt totally
under-dressed in my birding gear and wished I had packed my full Edwardian
dinner gown (smile).
Our first stop was at Lake Tyrell to look for Rufous Fieldwrens (found) and
Orange Chats (dipped), look for new birding locations around Ouyen, try
Honeymoon Track in the Sunset Country and have a look at Hattah.
For our new location we were driving along Scott Road south west of Ouyen
in the Timberoo Nature Reserve. When we saw the Native Pines on Scott Road
we both thought "White-browed Treecreeper". We stopped and got out and yes,
there they were. A little further down the road we found the Timberoo
Water-well. The well was dry but the surrounding bush was full of birds. A
magic location and for those without a 4X4 it is a sealed road location for
White-browed Treecreeper that is closer to Melbourne than Yarrara.
Sunset was very quiet but we tried it on Saturday afternoon and again on
Sunday morning. From there we took back roads across to Pink Lakes and
found they are full of water. A quick drive for about 1 km along the Mt
Crozier track (X-Trail or Subie etc but not 2 wheel drive) got us to our
Striated Grasswren site and Joy heard them calling before we were out of
the car. I couldn't hear them but I saw them first as I nearly stepped on
one getting out of the car.
The Big surprise for the weekend was when we got into Hattah. It is a MUST
visit right now if you have the time because all the lakes are full and
they are actually still pumping water in as part of an environmental flow
and they have recently had good rains. Even the campground at Lake Hattah
is flooded and they have built a causeway across it.
Out on the road to Mournpall we stopped at a group of tall redgums and 7
species of parrot were sunning and checking out nesting hollows. There were
Regent Parrot, Australian Ringneck, Yellow Rosella, Major Mitchell
Cockatoo, Little Corella, Galah and Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. It was a
magic sight. The sun was out and the mix of colours, pinks and greys and
yellows and greens, all flashing and shining, was spectacular. I have never
before seen so many beautiful bird species crowded into such a small space.
I will do a blog with some photos but it might not get up until after this
weekend as I hear that Kamarooka is full of birds and a visit is mandatory
(smile).
cheers
Jenny
http://jenniferspryausbirding.blogspot.com.au/
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