Following recent good rains and reports of good birds in the region I spent
the Anzac weekend at Wondinong Station, 75 Km NE of Mt Magnet.
Drove to Paynes Find after work on Friday and hit the road at dawn on
Saturday and it was clear as I travelled north and east that there had been
substantial rains, with standing water in many places. Wondinong Station
has comfortable donga style accommodation, a good kitchen, showers and
laundry. There was an excellent range of vegetation in and around the
station. The whole area has largely been destocked of sheep due to a severe
wild dog and dingo problem. Only cattle can withstand the depredations of
these packs; goats collect into big mobs and seem to stay close to the
station. This leaves most of the land with little sign of grazing and hence
good for birds.
Bird of the trip was undoubtedly a single male Scarlet-chested Parrot. I
left details of the sighting location with the station owners as it was
actually in a neighbouring property which they had gotten permission for me
to enter. Similar privileges would probably be available to others who stay
there. An annotated list of the birds is as follows:
Emu seen regularly
Hoary-headed Grebe single individual at lake near
station homestead
Australian Grebe individuals on water bodies on
road towards Cue
White-necked Heron singles seen at various water bodies
White-faced Heron groups of up to 4 at various water
bodies
Straw-necked Ibis flock of 6 in NW water body
Pacific Black Duck one with young + pair
Australian Shelduck one pair
Maned Duck flocks up to 30 birds
Grey Teal up to 20 birds; one pair with
young
Australian Shoveler one pair
Pink-eared Duck 5 birds on one lake.
Wedge-tailed Eagle various locations
Whistling Kite various locations where
water bodies occurred
Australian Goshawk various
Brown Falcon various locations
Nankeen Kestrel Common
Banded Plover Common – up to 20 birds; one
pair with 4 runners
Black-fronted Dotterel most water bodies.
Crested Pigeon common
Galah common
Port Lincoln Ringneck common
Elegant Parrot one pair
Scarlet-chested Parrot Adult male with weak red band in
mallee over spinifex
Mulga Parrot common over spinifex, less
common elsewhere
Budgerigar common on Cue road
Bourke’s Parrot group of four on Cue road;
possibly multiple groups
Pallid Cuckoo common
Black-eared Cuckoo a few
Welcome Swallow nesting
White-backed Swallow prospecting
Tree Martin very common
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike very common
Australasian Pipit common; pair feeding young
Rufous Songlark
Willie Wagtail very common
Red-capped Robin
Hooded Robin
Rufous Whistler
Grey Shrike-thrush very common
Crested Bellbird very common
Chestnut-breasted Quail-thrush one male on Mt Magnet road
Grey-crowned Babbler very common
White-browed Babbler
Weebill surprisingly sparse
Chestnut-rumped Thornbill very common
Yellow-rumped Thornbill
Slaty-backed Thornbill two locations
Inland Thornbill
Variegated Fairy-wren
Splendid Fairy-wren
White-winged Fairy-wren
Western Gerygone
Southern Whiteface
Crimson Chat numerous
Orange Chat a few pairs
White-fronted Chat one
Varied Sittella
White-browed Treecreeper common where there was spinifex
Striated Pardalote
Pied Honeyeater two males
White-plumed Honeyeater common
White-fronted Honeyeater common
Singing Honeyeater abundant
Brown Honeyeater
Yellow-throated Miner
Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater
Mistletoebird
Magpielark
Black-faced Woodswallow
Grey Butcherbird
Pied Butcherbird
Australian Magpie
Western Bowerbird
Torresian Crow
Little Crow
Zebra Finch
On the way out via Lake Austin - which was full to the brim – there was a
single Gull-billed Tern, numerous swans and other waterfowl, Avocets and
Stilts (Pied but possibly Banded far out in the lake).
As the water was only slowly evaporating and any more winter rain should
make the country a great visit especially when spring wildflowers hit.
Mark Stanley
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