6/6/15 268km
Packed and left home at about 8.30 and headed up the Hume Fwy, stopped at Grasstree wayside stop and got a heap of Sitellas and Brown-headed Honeyeaters and an Olive Whistler. Then to Picnic Reef Hills for lunch where there weren’t many birds at all. Dams near Greta Rd had 16 unremarkable birds. Then did Rutherglen Rd and Whistler Tk Chiltern and Bartleys block sites, ending up at my campsite near the Indigo cemetery. A cold windless cloudy day.
7/6 180km
An icy cold foggy morning greeted me, making birding difficult. I only added Jacky Winter and Superb Fairywren to the list, and heard a Yellow Robin, so ended with 34 species. Did 12 more surveys during the day hence the low kilometres. First stop was Barnawatha cemetery then up north to Doolan bend Murray river and end of Coyles rd Barnawatha then Edged my way through Albury, picking up supplies there, had lunch at Mungabareena Reserve, then Waterworks reserve Albury and Albury airport. Then did Lake Hume Table Top was 500m from the normal shore, where I saw a Hobby Falcon chasing a flock of Red-rumped Parrots, it was too slow, on to trig 1217 and Bowna ck Tabletop then Lake Marion Hume Hwy. On northward to Olympic Hwy Lowes Rd, got only surprise for the day, a White-bellied Sea-eagle at Dudal Comer swamp Henty. Camped at The Rock forest, and just had time to cook dinner before it got dark. It’s been so cold that I have yet to hear the fridge come on day or night, and my Nutella spread is like trying to spread a block of chocolate.
8/6
A cold crisp sunny start, but a disappointing number of birds. Finished the survey at 8.10 and just around the corner at The Rock bulk site I got a lot of species including Plumed Whistling Duck on the pond. Picked up fuel at the Liberty station at the end of the Olympic Hwy where it’s at Melbourne prices. Got breathalysed by a new type where you just speak into it. Did my Wagga rail station site and the Murrumbidgee River Millwood crossing, Bradshaws Ln north Coolamon, then Ingalba NR and across to Yarranjerry SF , and put my first new site in at Bartels Lane quarry, then Hiawatha SF camping at Corringle SF, starting to get Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters and Chestnut-rumped Thornbills. Got to 22 degrees brought on by a north-westerly breeze.
9/6 337km
Another finger freezing morning, turning into a beautiful day with no wind, did a mixture of old and new sites during the day adding birds like Bluebonnet, Restless Flycatcher, Little Eagle and Superb Parrot, they ran Humbug Ck Ridley rest area, Sandy Camp Rd Cobdobolin, Coppers Rd Derriwong Mount, Tullamore West, had lunch at Lone Wilga rd Tottenham with 40 Apostlebirds and 90 noisy Little Ravens, then on to Bogan river Mudal bridge and Albert Priest channel. Camped at Miandetta SF West of Nyngan.
10/6 299km
Added 8 more species in the morning to get 27 species so not a bad little spot, headed to Cobar with a stop at Hermidale rail, then Cambelego SF which only had 3 species and Meryula rail which only had a single Singing Honeyeater. My site at Lake Newey had 21 species. Filled up with fuel and headed up to Louth, stopping at 85km SE Louth and 40km SE Louth, I found feeding groups at both by following the Weebill calls. The second site had Hooded Robin and White-browed Treecreeper. Did a survey at Darling river Louth, the river is low with no apparent flow. I camped at the junction of the Darling River and Hume’s Ck where the ground cover has been stripped bare by too many goats and sheep on the south side of the river. The north side looks in much better nick. Got Red-tailed Black Cockatoo and 16 other species. The day was cool and sunny with a cold southerly breeze.
11/6 325km
Only added Kookaburra and Common Bronzewing in the morning. Had a look at Yanda campground on the Darling and got 13 sp. The billabong Polygonum at Bourke was bone dry and had 9 sp, then did the surveys up the Hungerford Rd, Hungerford Rd dam, Bourke Hungerford rd south, Greens Ck Bourke Hungerford Rd, Mother Nosey Spring, Mullarare spring and Bourke Hungerford Rd north. The first dam was dry but got my first Zebra Finch and White-winged Fairywren. Mother Nosey Spring, Mullarare spring and the last site all has remnant water from recent rains which had also produced a flowering event so all were filled with noisy White-plumed Honeyeaters and Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters, two had Brown Honeyeaters. Stopped at Lake Numalla at 16.00. On the track in, about 4k out from the lake I saw 5 Scarlet Chested Parrots. There’s still plenty of water in the lake but it’s lower than the last time I was here, got Caspian Tern and Great-crested Grebe.
12/6 232km
It was a balmy 16 degrees when I got up and it got to a cloudy 23 degrees. Only added Owlet Nightjar and Whistling Kite to yesterday’s list, but there were more Silver Gulls and Pelicans. Lake Wyal was dry but got 8 Brolgas in the grassland. Whip dam had shallow water but no waterbirds apart from a pair of Masked Lapwings that weren’t using the shoreline. The gums here were flowering and got Noisy Friarbird and 3 Little Friarbirds. Lake Kaponyee was dry and only had 3 species: Magpie, Pipit and Wedge-tailed Eagle. Did Lakes Rd dam Currawyna NP, Currawyna NP, Corni Paroo waterhole, then headed up to Wittenburra Rd S of Roto, to Hungerford Rd junction, then west to Mud springs Bulloo developement Rd and Capsize Ck. some spots had flowering gums awash with Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters, White-plumed Honeyeaters and usually a Brown Honeyeater. Arrived at Lake Bindegolly at 15.40 and despite it being bone dry had 14 species before dark one being the first Little Crow.
Campsite Lake Bindegolly
13/6 258km
Added 7 more species Including Black Honeyeater and Emu. Did the Lake Bindegolly 1.5km west of causeway site and got 3 species that weren’t on the larger survey: Major Mitchell Cockatoo, Rufous Whistler and Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater. Drove in to Thargominda and topped up with diesel at $1.85c/L. Did Koolkurry waterhole which was dry but had flowering gums with lots of honeyeaters including a Painted Honeyeater, then took the Buloo Downs road which was okay, did Nooyeah Station grid then Bulloo Downs station and got Southern Whiteface. Had lunch at Titherton Ck which had an active bore with 100 cattle so the area was knackered. There were 2 Black Duck on the pond, Emu and Major Mitchell Cockatoo. The track out south was hard to decipher and I ended up with a bit of cross country when I realized I wasn’t on the right track. The bull dust along the track was atrocious getting into the car in great clouds. My track followed a minor dog fence down to the main dog fence via Mirintu station grid and through Hamilton gate. I camped near a bore at Hamilton gate south and got some Bourke’s Parrots just on dark. It had got to 25 degrees during the day. With a northerly wind and slow speed I got 8.5 L/100k.
14/6 270km
Ended the survey with 15 species. My first stop at Berawinnia station T junction was a fizzer with only 4 species including a lone Major Mitchell Cockatoo. On to Waanaring NW, then at a dry Waanaring south floodway with not much flowering here I still got Pied Honeyeater, Black Honeyeater and my first White-fronted Honeyeater. On to Taltowera Station ephemeral lake at an old campsite. Quarry near 4 mile bore had 14 Crimson Chats and got myself disorientated. I’d had my usual cursory look at the sun as I headed off, and was pretty sure I was heading the right way back, but I’d lost track of how far I’d gone. I climbed a tree and was relieved to see the road 50m away. on to New Bore Ck, Lake Tongo, Tank Wilcania Waanaring Rd, where I got my first Chirruping Wedgebill, and camped at Peery Lake which was dry. There are lots of pools by the road from recent rain but not enough to get into the big lakes, but certainly enough to generate a flowering event across a large area.
15/6 300km
Overnight my luck ran out with a lot of rain falling, it stopped at 5am, but there was water lying everywhere, and of course the road was boggy, and the floodways flowing. The main road to Wilcannia wasn’t too bad, apart from one creek crossing running at about .3m for which I got out and walked it in bare feet, it had a solid base with no washout and I had no problem getting through. The road to White Cliffs which I took because it was a shorter run to bitumen was another matter. There were several times when I was in 3rd or 4th gear low range with the diff lock in and spinning all wheels barely making headway. Mirriappa Ck 25km east of White Cills where my survey spot was, was my biggest concern, it was quite wide, faster running and with a boggy bottom, I found the best track through by walking it again, and hit it in 3rd gear low range with the diff lock in, the bow wave went over the bonnet, I bounced twice along the bottom and easily made it out the other side, I was shaking with adrenaline. It took 2hrs to get from Peery Lake to White Cliffs leaving the longest wheelie I’ve ever made behind me and using 16L/100k. Naturally they’d closed the road, so I slunk quietly in to town, did my survey there and took the bitumen road south to Wilcannia doing Bunker Ck. I got the first Rufous Songlark and 30 Chirruping Wedgebills feeding in a flock out in the open which I’d never seen before at Dry lake tank. Had a look at Lake Woytchugga. Got another White-browed Treecreeper right beside the Barrier Highway on the road to Cobar at Goonalga Ck. All the tracks off the bitumen are closed so I camped by the side of the road at Barrier Hwy stack.
A flooded Mirriappa Ck
16/6 333km
The night wasn’t that bad, there were only a few trucks, and after each I went straight back to sleep. I only got 13 species for the survey with 14 Yellow-throated Miners and more White-fronted Honeyeaters. Did my 3 sites along the Hwy and in to Cobar, Barnarto lake, Elsinore TR and Amphitheatre TR creek. Put $50 of diesel into the car and headed for Hillston, along the way the sites got more and more birds in them, first Stanley tank Osterly Sta, Belford Rd South of Cobar, with the site at 88km N of Hillston having 17sp including a pair of Hooded Robins. I sat by the roadside at Mail Change tank Kidman Way for 1/2hr as the rain teemed down before I gave up. The fields were now all flooded, one overflowed across the road in such a torrent that it had pressure waves. There was a steady stream of caravans heading north all driven by white-haired men. By the time I got to my site at Millthorpe Trail in Nombinnie NR the rain had stopped and I camped amid the Mallee with Yellow-plumed Honeyeaters calling and the inevitable Weebil. Had 12 species by dark.
Millthorpe track Nombinnie Nature reserve
17/6 617km
Got Southern Scrub Robin which is close to being the bird of the trip being a small isolated population. It rained again overnight, the track in was now just a big puddle, thankfully its base was solid. My sites along the highway were all sodden, with few birds, they were Lachlan river north of Hillston, Dirung Rd Dirung, Kidman Way south, Hopbush tank, Wangara landcare site, Telegraph Ck south of Hay and finally Black swamp south of Hay. I stopped surveying in NSW and headed home in time for a late dinner.
Bird list for the trip. % is of the 98 surveys done. B is for breeding record
- Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae 2 (2.04%)
- Plumed Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna eytoni 1 (1.02%)
- Black Swan Cygnus atratus 1 (1.02%)
- Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides 1 (1.02%)
- Hardhead Aythya australis 3 (3.06%)
- Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa 5 (5.10%)
- Grey Teal Anas gracilis 5 (5.10%)
- Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata 11 (11.22%)
- Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae 1 (1.02%)
- Hoary-headed Grebe Poliocephalus poliocephalus 2 (2.04%)
- Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus 1 (1.02%)
- Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis 2 (2.04%)
- Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera 4 (4.08%)
- Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes 24 (24.49%)
- Peaceful Dove Geopelia placida 11 (11.22%)
- Bar-shouldered Dove Geopelia humeralis 1 (1.02%)
- Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo Chalcites basalis 4 (4.08%)
- Australian Owlet-nightjar Aegotheles cristatus 6 (6.12%)
- Eurasian Coot Fulica atra 4 (4.08%)
- Brolga Antigone rubicunda 1 (1.02%)
- Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops 1 (1.02%)
- Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles 5 (5.10%)
- Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae 1 (1.02%)
- Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia 1 (1.02%)
- Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus 6 (6.12%)
- White-necked Heron Ardea pacifica 4 (4.08%)
- Great Egret Ardea alba 4 (4.08%)
- White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae 3 (3.06%)
- Australian White Ibis Threskiornis moluccus 1 (1.02%)
- Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis 2 (2.04%)
- Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos 4 (4.08%)
- Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 2 (2.04%)
- Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris 2 (2.04%)
- Australasian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae 2 (2.04%)
- Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax 3 (3.06%)
- Little Eagle Hieraaetus morphnoides 2 (2.04%)
- Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus 1 (1.02%)
- Collared Sparrowhawk Accipiter cirrocephalus 1 (1.02%)
- White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster 2 (2.04%)
- Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus 15 (15.31%)
- Black Kite Milvus migrans 3 (3.06%)
- Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae 13 (13.27%)
- Nankeen Kestrel Falco cenchroides 7 (7.14%)
- Australian Hobby Falco longipennis 2 (2.04%)
- Brown Falcon Falco berigora 1 (1.02%)
- Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus 1 (1.02%)
- Cockatiel Nymphicus hollandicus 3 (3.06%)
- Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus banksii 1 (1.02%)
- Galah Eolophus roseicapilla 19 (19.39%)
- Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo Cacatua leadbeateri 4 (4.08%)
- Long-billed Corella Cacatua tenuirostris 1 (1.02%)
- Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea 3 (3.06%)
- Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita 8 (8.16%)
- Superb Parrot Polytelis swainsonii 1 (1.02%)
- Red-winged Parrot Aprosmictus erythropterus 2 (2.04%)
- Red-rumped Parrot Psephotus haematonotus 12 (12.24%)
- Blue Bonnet Northiella haematogaster 12 (12.24%)
- Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans 5 (5.10%)
- Pale-headed Rosella Platycercus adscitus 1 (1.02%)
- Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius 8 (8.16%)
- Australian Ringneck Barnardius zonarius 8 (8.16%)
- Bourke’s Parrot Neopsephotus bourkii 1 (1.02%)
- Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus 1 (1.02%)
- Spotted Bowerbird Ptilonorhynchus maculatus 4 (4.08%)
- White-throated Treecreeper Cormobates leucophaea 5 (5.10%)
- White-browed Treecreeper Climacteris affinis 2 (2.04%)
- Brown Treecreeper Climacteris picumnus 11 (11.22%)
- Variegated Fairy-wren Malurus lamberti 6 (6.12%)
- Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus 14 (14.29%)
- Splendid Fairy-wren Malurus splendens 6 (6.12%)
- White-winged Fairy-wren Malurus leucopterus 9 (9.18%)
- Black Honeyeater Sugomel niger 2 (2.04%)
- Painted Honeyeater Grantiella picta 1 (1.02%)
- Striped Honeyeater Plectorhyncha lanceolata 6 (6.12%)
- Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus 2 (2.04%)
- Little Friarbird Philemon citreogularis 5 (5.10%)
- Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta 9 (9.18%)
- White-eared Honeyeater Nesoptilotis leucotis 2 (2.04%)
- Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis 8 (8.16%)
- Brown-headed Honeyeater Melithreptus brevirostris 4 (4.08%)
- Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris 2 (2.04%)
- Pied Honeyeater Certhionyx variegatus 1 (1.02%)
- Crimson Chat Epthianura tricolor 2 (2.04%)
- Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Acanthagenys rufogularis 28 (28.57%)
- Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata 9 (9.18%)
- Singing Honeyeater Gavicalis virescens 27 (27.55%)
- Yellow-plumed Honeyeater Ptilotula ornata 1 (1.02%)
- Fuscous Honeyeater Ptilotula fusca 1 (1.02%)
- White-plumed Honeyeater Ptilotula penicillata 45 (45.92%)
- White-fronted Honeyeater Purnella albifrons 6 (6.12%)
- Yellow-faced Honeyeater Caligavis chrysops 2 (2.04%)
- Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala 17 (17.35%)
- Yellow-throated Miner Manorina flavigula 17 (17.35%)
- Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus 5 (5.10%)
- Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus 25 (25.51%)
- Weebill Smicrornis brevirostris 29 (29.59%)
- White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis 2 (2.04%)
- Southern Whiteface Aphelocephala leucopsis 7 (7.14%)
- Yellow-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa 1 (1.02%)
- Inland Thornbill Acanthiza apicalis 4 (4.08%)
- Chestnut-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza uropygialis 16 (16.33%)
- Grey-crowned Babbler Pomatostomus temporalis 6 (6.12%)
- White-browed Babbler Pomatostomus superciliosus 4 (4.08%)
- Varied Sittella Daphoenositta chrysoptera 4 (4.08%)
- Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae 7 (7.14%)
- Olive Whistler Pachycephala olivacea 1 (1.02%)
- Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris 9 (9.18%)
- Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis 1 (1.02%)
- Grey Shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica 29 (29.59%)
- Crested Shrike-tit Falcunculus frontatus 2 (2.04%)
- Crested Bellbird Oreoica gutturalis 6 (6.12%)
- Chirruping Wedgebill Psophodes cristatus 2 (2.04%)
- Pied Currawong Strepera graculina 7 (7.14%)
- Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen 42 (42.86%)
- Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogularis 10 (10.20%)
- Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus 19 (19.39%)
- Masked Woodswallow Artamus personatus 1 (1.02%)
- White-browed Woodswallow Artamus superciliosus 10 (10.20%)
- Dusky Woodswallow Artamus cyanopterus 2 (2.04%)
- Black-faced Woodswallow Artamus cinereus 6 (6.12%)
- Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys 35 (35.71%)
- Grey Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa 8 (8.16%)
- Little Crow Corvus bennetti 7 (7.14%)
- Little Raven Corvus mellori 13 (13.27%)
- Australian Raven Corvus coronoides 39 (39.80%)
- Restless Flycatcher Myiagra inquieta 3 (3.06%)
- Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca 44 (44.90%)
- White-winged Chough Corcorax melanorhamphos 6 (6.12%)
- Apostlebird Struthidea cinerea 10 (10.20%)
- Scarlet Robin Petroica multicolor 4 (4.08%)
- Red-capped Robin Petroica goodenovii 10 (10.20%)
- Jacky Winter Microeca fascinans 5 (5.10%)
- Southern Scrub-robin Drymodes brunneopygia 1 (1.02%)
- Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis 5 (5.10%)
- Hooded Robin Melanodryas cucullata 2 (2.04%)
- Mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum 10 (10.20%)
- Red-browed Finch Neochmia temporalis 1 (1.02%)
- Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata 2 (2.04%)
- Double-barred Finch Taeniopygia bichenovii 1 (1.02%)
- House Sparrow Passer domesticus 6 (6.12%)
- Australasian Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae 4 (4.08%)
- Brown Songlark Cincloramphus cruralis 1 (1.02%)
- Rufous Songlark Cincloramphus mathewsi 1 (1.02%)
- Tree Martin Petrochelidon nigricans 5 (5.10%)
- Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena 11 (11.22%)
- Silvereye Zosterops lateralis 2 (2.04%)
- Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris 9 (9.18%)
- Common Myna Acridotheres tristis 1 (1.02%)
- Common Blackbird Turdus merula 2 (2.04%)
If you would like to contribute the the well being of this world, our world, your world, an easy and effective way to do it is to join a quality environmental group. There are many spread across the world all plugging away trying to make the world a better place for wildlife. We belong to Birdlife Australia, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC). You can donate your time and or money to these and many others knowing that the world will be a slightly better place because of your effort.