New South Wales 17th November to 22nd November with Inala Nature Tours.
Words mostly by our excellent tour guide Angus McNab.
16 November 2024 Arrive in Sydney
With everyone arriving at different times we met up in the early evening for dinner and discussions of the week to come. Having pre-ordered we thought we knew what was coming, but most had forgotten what they ordered, turns out the restaurant had changed the menu, but we all ended up getting what we had originally ordered. With the confusion out of the way, we had a nice meal and got to retire as early as we could with some big days ahead.
17 November 2024 Sydney - Jamberoo
Starting our morning in Royal National Park we spent the morning in a flat, easily walked section of the park along the Hacking River. Upon arrival there were multiple Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Maned Ducks, Little Black Cormorant, Rainbow Lorikeets, and Yellow-faced Honeyeaters. It took a while to get moving as there were plenty of birds to see, a nesting Spotted Pardalote, Little Corellas taking a nap, Laughing Kookaburras laughing. Making our way along the river we stopped and looked at a Satin Bowerbird bower, watched a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo feed its chick in a hollow, and a flock of Brown Thornbills chatter through the canopy.
Spotted Pardelote
Satin Bowerbird
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Dollarbird
There was a pretty constant stream of birds with little quite time. Lewin’s Honeyeaters and New Holland Honeyeaters fed in the flowers, Golden Whistlers and Black-faced Monarchs called from the scrub, and Olive backed Orioles were loud and following us. We got onto almost every bird we heard, the Black faced Monarch was a bit challenging but after not seeing the first four we found the fifth, some cuckoo fly-bys weren’t all that satisfying but the Common Cicadabird that came in and gave great views was lovely!
Black-faced Monarch
Black-faced Monarch
White-throated Treecreeper
Making our way out, Bill wanted to see an Azure Kingfisher, and 30 seconds later it appeared. Hopefully this trend will continue for the days to come. We stopped for lunch in the park and it was a buzzing little area, Little Black Cormorant, Great Cormorant, and Little Pied Cormorant were in the river, Masked Lapwing, Eurasian Coot, Australasian Swamphen, and a Mallard-hybrid wandered in the grass. The highlight though was the readily detectable and very visible Pacific Koel calling from a nearby tree.
Pacific Koel
Unusual that it was easy to spot but great for us. Our next stop was coastal, and after a lovely calm morning it was blowing pretty heavily along the coastline. We managed a juvenile Olive-backed Oriole, Rufous Whistler, Eastern Yellow Robin, Black-faced Cuckooshrike, and some very distant shearwaters but despite the lovely backdrop, scenic cliffs, and blue water, there was little bird activity.
Olive-backed Oriole
We drove south to Killalea Regional Park and it was blowing even harder. We walked down from the hilltop and it wasn’t so bad near the lagoon. Black Swans and Eurasian Coots dominated the water but a Musk Duck was spotted, as well as an Australasian Grebe and some cormorants. Wandering the trails we got lovely looks at Australian Golden Whistler, Yellow Thornbill, fleeting glimpses of Silvereyes, and Silver and Kelp Gulls on the beach. Black-shouldered Kite and Nankeen Kestrel battled the strong winds, and it didn’t look like either was winning. Australian Ravens stayed closer to the ground, walking with the Australian Magpies and Masked Lapwings. We arrived at our accommodation just in time to beat the oncoming rain, and as we were finishing up unpacking, Betsy called ‘there’s a White-headed Dove!’ Sitting meters from the room in the open was a White-headed Dove, beautifully still, calling, and easily photographed! A fantastic way to end the day!
White-headed Pigeon
18 November 2024 Barren Grounds Nature Reserve
The weather was looking pretty good this morning when we rose and started our drive up the hill. As we climbed the escarpment the wind picked up, to blowing a gale really quickly. We attempted to bird at Barren Grounds National Park but it was near pointless. We did try a trail for Ground Parrot in the hope that one may be eating seeds in the low grass out of the wind but no luck. Only two bird calls were heard in about 30 minutes so we went back down to the base of the escarpment to try in the rainforest of Mirramurra. Entering the park it took no time at all to hear the Superb Lyrebirds calling, and as we listened Brian spotted a bird just below us, only meters away. The bird was moving but stopped to forage as it moved away. We could follow a short distance and as we did two more birds came out of the forest and spent time scratching on the opposite side of the creek in full view. Three or four birds came and went and we had good views of these very vocal birds.
Superb Lyrebird
Superb Lyrebird
Moving along the board walk we walked up and up and up stopping for Australian Golden Whistlers, Brown Thornbills, Brown Gerygones, and Black-faced Monarch.
Brown Gerygone
Bassian Thrush
Despite the wind coming off the hill it didn’t seem to extend to the low areas so we went to the beach and estuary at Shoalhaven Heads. We ate lunch on the estuary with Red Wattlebird and Australasian Figbirds coming and going from the surrounding trees. Chestnut Teal sat along the water’s edge while Great Cormorants flew back and forth.
Australasian Figbird
Our main targets were shorebirds and terns so we walked over to where the estuary is closest to the sea. Australasian Gannets flew along the beach while the terns stood along the estuaries edge. Caspian, Fairy, and Great Crested Terns were in close proximity giving good comparative views. The shorebirds were tucked in between the logs that were densely scattered across the beach. The larger Far Eastern Curlew were easy to pick, as was a large flock of Bar-tailed Godwit, though the smaller shorebirds had to be worked for. A pair of Great Knot hid amongst the godwits, a Sanderling hid with the Red-necked Stints, and Red-necked Stints hid throughout the area. It wasn’t until a few birds flew that we found a Red-capped Plover that had gone unnoticed previously. The more we looked the more birds we saw.
Far-eastern Curlew
Far-eastern Curlew
Red-capped Plover
Red-capped Plover
The weather seemed really nice so we attempted to go back up to Barren Grounds, and it was a good decision – the wind had vanished! There weren’t a lot of bird calls but there was activity that had been lacking in the morning. As soon as we got out of the van we got onto a Fan-tailed Cuckoo, we could hear White-browed Scrubwrens, and things were looking up. We walked the main trail enjoying the diversity of flowers, spotting a basking Mcphee’s Skink, and then a dark shape waddled across the track 100m in front of us. A very young Short-beaked Echidna! We went for a closer look, and you’ll never meet a less concerned echidna, it didn’t flinch at our approach and walked to us, between us, and ignored our presence entirely as it dug and scratched for food. We watched for maybe 10 minutes before we heard the call of an Eastern Bristlebird. It called and moved, called and moved, and then was spotted on the edge of the heathy vegetation. It hid quickly and then appeared again, and then vanished as they do. It appeared again 30m down the trail on the edge of the vegetation giving us a great view.
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Eastern Crevice Skink (McPhee's Skink)
Eastern Bristlebird
Eastern Rosella
Eastern Sign-Bearing Froglet
Eastern Yellow Robin
19 November 2024 Kiama Pelagic
Today we went out straight out to sea. The weather was pretty good, the sea state was a bit choppy and messy with the swell and wind coming from different directions but fortunately neither were strong. We had a few shearwaters come through on the journey out to deeper water, a Shy Albatross followed us and we had some distant flybys from a Buller’s Shearwater and Fluttering Shearwaters. Arriving out in the deeper water we started burleying and it took no time at all for a Black Petrel to fly in and start feeding. More birds came in slowly with Wedge-tailed Shearwaters, Flesh-footed Shearwaters, Wilson’s Storm Petrel taking their time but coming in and hanging around. Through the morning we had some Shy Albatross and a juvenile Black-browed Albatross do a few laps but they didn’t spend time close to the boat. The birds seemed to be keen on hanging in the slick but few birds wanted to come and hang around us. There were some slow patches where all the birds seemed to disappear and then they would come back in groups. Short-tailed Shearwaters came through at times, and a pair of Crested Terns hung out for most of the day. They used the top of the boat as a place to rest between taking burley. We moved the boat once, driving up the slick which gave us some closer views of the Wilson’s Storm Petrel. After we moved we had a Campbell Albatross that did a few laps and landed not to far away from us. There was the sporadic passing of the albatross, with more shearwaters coming and going. Just before we turned to leave we had a Pomarine Jaeger fly in, grab some chum and fly out again. The journey back to shore was quite smooth and we were trailed the whole way by good numbers of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters that kept chasing the chum. A pod of Common Dolphin joined us in the wake, and more Fluttering and a single Hutton’s and Buller’s Shearwater did rapid flybys, barely giving us time to see them.
Black Petrel
Black Petrel
Campbell Albatross
Campbell Albatross
Flash-footed Shearwater
Flash-footed Shearwater
Greater-crested Tern
Grey-faced Petrel
Pomarine Skua
Pomarine Skua
Wedge-tailed Shearwater
Wedge-tailed Shearwater
Sugar Glider
Tawny Frogmouth
We started the day where we finished the night before at Jerrara Dam. Upon arrival there was an adult and juvenile Grey Butcherbird singing, and an Eastern Whipbird calling from the vegetation. We walked the same trail as previously with lots of Golden Whistlers and Black-faced Monarchs calling, we caught fleeting glimpses of both, and Channel-billed Cuckoo as they flew over the trees. As we walked into the denser vegetation the birds were abundant, Green Catbirds were feeding up high, White-browed Scrubwren were moving through the undergrowth, and multiple cuckoos called from overhead. Walking up to the dam look out we got onto Australian King Parrot, Brush Cuckoo, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Brown Gerygone, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Golden Whistler, and more Lewin’s Honeyeater. There was a good amount of activity through the area. At the top of the lookout we had Silvereyes, Superb Fairywrens, and Satin Bowerbirds moving through the undergrowth and feeing in the lantana. There was a 2 hour drive from Jamberoo up the hill to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, and the lunch stop seemed to be the busiest place there was. We had lunch in a small park in the main street with the Rock Doves, Common Myna, and a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. Then it was off to look for more birds. Our next stop at Murphy’s Glen was a good one, Angus said he hoped to be only about 30 minutes, but we stepped out of the car and in less than 10 seconds Mary yelled, ‘there’s one!’ she had found our target, the Red-browed Treecreeper, and not just one but there were 5 of them, a family group. We had fantastic views, they were busy foraging and paid us no attention, at times coming down below eye level!
Eastern Rosella
Eastern Rosella
Red-browed Treecreeper
Red-browed Treecreeper
Evan's Lookout
Superb Lyrebird (male)
Rock Warbler
Rock Warbler
White-throated Treecreeper
This morning didn’t start in the best way possible, there were road works and a major accident which closed the direct road into the Capertee Valley. So an hour detour had to be taken but we got there right in time to find Spotted Quailthrush. On the drive we had a group of Walleroos.
Walleroo
Walleroo
Spotted Quail-thrush (male)
Spotted Quail-thrush (male)
White-throated Treecreeper
Buff-rumped Thornbill
Moving towards the Capertee Valley we stopped at Coco Creek and we could hear the chirps of Superb Fairywrens around us and Black-faced Cuckooshrikes in the dead trees above. We walked the road in both directions picking up White-plumed Honeyeaters, Dusky Woodswallows, Tree Martins, before we had excellent views of a male Mistletoebird.
Mistletoebird (male)
Mistletoebird (male)
There was a distinct sound of excitement from the group as the small, black from behind bird, turned and showed everyone its vibrant red breast. Our next stop was to be a brief one, we were after Brown Treecreeper. Getting out of the van it took a few minutes but we found one and got great views.
Brown Treecreeper
Brown Treecreeper
As we watched Red-rumped Parrots flew by, and a Rufous Songlark was singing its little heart out. We followed the sound until we found it and it was kind enough to sit still where we could all see it. As we got a look Brian spotted a White-browed Woodswallow nesting in the fork of the tree. It took off and the female came in and we got good looks at it as it sat near the nest.
Red-rumped Parrot
White-browed Woodswallow
Further down the hill we stopped in at one of the regions designated birding stops, number 5. Our first bird was the Jacky Winter that was calling in the distance but came closer and closer and ended up almost right above us.
Jacky Winter
We walked the road and it was getting quieter as the temperatures warmed, but there were songlarks in the grass, Tree Martins overhead, more nesting White-browed Woodswallows, and eventually a Black-chinned Honeyeater. We went for lunch but made a quick stop as a Black-fronted Dotterel was spotted by Stefan. Getting out of the van for a better look we were distracted by a Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo that was perched above the roadside. Unfortunately, the dotterel vanished and not everyone saw it but an Australian Reed Warbler was seen in the reedbed and then in a tree giving better than expected views. Both Tree and Fairy Martins flew overhead.
Fairy Martin
Black-chinned Honeyeater
Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo
Australian Reed Warbler
We stopped for lunch at a small home-restaurant in the middle of the valley and it was a wonderful little break, there was a nice breeze, the sound of Stubble Quail, homemade pies of various flavours, and a sausage dog. As we were leaving Bill picked up the sound of Restless Flycatchers and we stopped to see them near the main gate. Not only did we see them but they had a nest and three little heads poked out each time the adults went near.
Restless Flycatcher
White-throated Gerygone
Eastern Grey Kangaroo
Our final stop for the day was the treatment plant in Lithgow. Three large ponds at the back of town that are filled with waterfowl. We scoped out all three ponds and got a good selection of ducks including Grey Teal, Pink-eared Duck, Blue-billed Duck, Australian Shoveler, Pacific Black Duck, and other water birds like Australasian and Hoary-headed Grebes, Australasian Swamphen, Black-fronted Dotterel, Great Cormorants, and Australian White Ibis.
22 November 2024 Blue Mountains
Sydney Our final morning and the trip was far from complete. We had a few targets still to acquire and a morning to do it. The drive was stopped twice before our first destination for an Emu and Yellow billed Spoonbill which were nice little additions.
Emu
Emu
We really started back at Evans Lookout, and had three Lyrebirds in the carpark upon arrival – a good start!
Superb Lyrebird (male)
We walked down the trail, and had Brown and Striated Thornbills pretty quickly. What felt like hundreds of steps later we stopped and listened. There were no Pilotbirds to be heard…but then ¾ of a Pilotbird made its way up the hill and was only meters from us! I say ¾ of a Pilotbird because it was strangely missing its tail, but it was a Pilotbird none the less! Slowly making our way back up the stairs we heard the grating call of a Gang-gang Cockatoo. A male was not too far above us in a tree and we got great looks; it appeared to be assessing nesting hollows. It moved a few times then the female came past, also checking out the hollows! A great start to the day, there were 4 young Lyrebirds displaying at the top of the stairs, and while we’d been down below, Betsy had watched a pair of Rockwarblers (that we battled for earlier) forage in the carpark.
Gang-gang Cockatoo (male)
Gang-gang Cockatoo (female)
Gang-gang Cockatoo (female)
A coffee on the go, and we were back at Chesterfield Rd, this time without the helicopter. Walking the trail we got about 150m before we heard the call of the Glossy Black Cockatoo, there were four birds sitting on the edge of the trail and we got great looks. They flew a short distance and we got better looks, before they took off again, taking another 4 birds we hadn’t seen with them!
Glossy Black Cockatoo (male)
Glossy Black Cockatoo (male)
Glossy Black Cockatoo (female)
We tried to follow them on another trail but were unsuccessful so returned to our previous trail in search of firetails. Firetails had been a bit hit and miss post the fires a few years back, and were a miss, but we did spend a few minutes staring into the long grass whilst listening to the sounds of a Buff-banded Rail that we couldn’t see. With three of four targets acquired we started making our way down the hill to our final destination, and Bill’s most wanted bird for the day. The Red-whiskered Bulbul, whilst invasive this species can only be seen in NSW, so it's important for Australian birders to see. We arrived on the banks of the Nepean River (sort of) and walked through the playing fields and parkland with Noisy Miners and Common Mynas everywhere. Masked Lapwings and Australian Magpies were in the grass which means this isn’t a diverse place for native species. Down the end of the garden was a small Asian style statue and what was almost a pagoda, what was joked to be the closest thing we would find to its native homeland and probably where the bird would be… It was a pair of Red-whiskered Bulbuls sat in the top of a tree in the middle of the Asian-style garden.
We could hear Bell Miners calling from nearby Eucalypts so walked a little further down the river. We came across Great Egret, White-faced Heron, heard a Brush Cuckoo, and found a basking Red-bellied Black Snake as we went. Getting below the eucalypts we were greeted with the tinking sound of the miners, and fortunately they were low and easy to spot. 4-5 birds were foraging in the leaves and chased each other through the branches. It was time for what was a relaxing and very refreshing lunch on the opposite side of the river before we made our way to the airport. It had been an extremely successful final morning, and a memorable way to end the trip.
Very nice John, love the Pom!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Martin, a scruffy Pom
ReplyDelete