This outing is to a property which is part of Birds Australia’s Birds on Farms project. Expect to see a range of woodland birds including spring migrants.
Meet at 7.45am at Hall Primary School carpark in Hoskins Street, Hall, for carpooling. Bring hat, sunscreen, water and morning tea, and wear appropriate footwear and long trousers.
Register at smlashko@gmail.com, with your name, mobile number, and name and number of an emergency contact.
On a perfect, still and sunny morning, 12 COG members visited a private property which is part of Birdlife’s Birds on Farms project. The property has not been grazed for many years, apart from a few horses, and eroded creek lines have been rehabilitated using fallen timber to slow the flow of water. The northern part of the property which is quite steep and well-timbered has been left to regenerate, while fenced plantings provide good habitat in the paddocks lower down.
We made our first stop at a good-sized dam where a large, dead tree provided the perfect roost for a White-necked Heron, a Little Pied Cormorant, and a pair each of Magpie-larks and Eastern Rosellas. Pacific Black Duck, Grey Teal and Australian Wood Duck were in the dam, along with Australasian Grebe, and a pair of Black-fronted Dotterels fed along the muddy edge. White-winged Trillers were very vocal, as were Rufous Whistlers and White-throated Gerygone. Patient watching at a row of young eucalypts with lots of new growth produced wonderful views of Striated Pardalotes and, eventually, Brown-headed Honeyeater.
The other two stops were in the forested areas of the property. The eagle eyes of the youngest attendee soon sighted a Sacred Kingfisher and White-throated Treecreepers at the second stop. Then, as we were driving towards our final stop, the call of a close Brush Cuckoo brought us to a halt. We all piled out of the cars and had great views of two birds which continued to be very vocal. As often happens, one good bird led to several more: a pair of Varied Sittellas put in a brief appearance and then we found three nests in quick succession, all close together. Noisy Friarbirds were putting the finishing touches to a nest (the second such nest for the morning), and Olive-backed Orioles were on eggs, as were Leaden Flycatchers – in the highest Leaden nest I have ever seen, way up in a large eucalypt. A Shining Bronze-Cuckoo was seen and an Australian Owlet Nightjar briefly heard here.
Morning tea was enjoyed on the verandah of the owner’s “retreat” at the back of the property, with a White-faced Heron on the nearby dam.
What was particularly enjoyable for all participants was the quality of the property, the views to the south and the prolonged sightings we had of most of the 42 species recorded for the morning.
Sue Lashko