COROP AREA
Starting off very early on Monday 3rd January I left home hearing two Southern Boobooks calling. Travelled over to the Corop area between Shepparton and Bendigo. There have been many recent reports of exciting birds here such as Australian Painted Snipe so I thought it would be worth a visit.
Greens Lake.
Plumed Whistling-Duck at Lake Cooper. Later I saw over 20 nearby at Wallenjoe Swamp.
I started off at Greens Lake (above at sunrise) before moving to Lake Cooper where I found a single Plumed Whistling-Duck (above). It was quite windy so birds were hard to find but Swamp Harrier over the reeds was nice. I moved onto Gaynor Swamp (below) which was fantastic.
Entrance to the swamp with a Willie Wagtail on the sign.
View of the swamp from the causeway.
I made my way to the causeway where Painted Snipe have been seen. No Painted Snipe but lots of other great birds. A big surprise was a family of Black-faced Woodswallow, not usually seen so far south. Waterbirds were in abundance with many kinds of ducks, highlights being Blue-billed and Pink-eared Ducks. Two Stubble Quail were seen beside a track and many Australian Reed-warblers and Little Grassbirds could be heard in the reeds. Over 40 species here.
Pink-eared Ducks where some of the many waterfowl.
Black Swans in flight.
Black-faced Woodswallows were a surprise.
Next stop was Lake Stewart just east of Gaynor Swamp. Lots more waterfowl here, though a big highlight was 2 Black Falcon over an adjacent paddock with Brolga in it! Nearby next to what looked like a capsicum crop where about 9 Banded Lapwing in bare looking paddocks. Lots of great birds seen already.
Brown Falcon, maybe a young bird as it was very dark.
Pair of Brolga in stubble.
I tried to get into One Tree and Two Tree Swamps but the roads around them were still flooded. I settled on looking at Wallenjoe Swamp from the Midland Highway. More Plumed Whistling-Ducks were here, Black-winged Stilt and White-necked Heron were some of the many waterbirds.
KAMAROOKA
Moving on from Corop I made my way over to Kamarooka section of the Greater Bendigo National Park north of Bendigo. I have always wanted to spend a bit more time here as I have always seemed to rush through here on a Twitchathon. Kamarooka has some great birds as it is an isolate of mallee habitat found more extensively in north west Victoria. I was aiming to get these mallee birds today.
Young Red-capped Robin.
White-eared Honeyeaters were common at Kamarooka.
The mallee at Kamarooka is looking great.
Starting off an on unnamed track on the north side of the forest I picked up Tawny-crowned Honeyeater straight away. The forest looked great, very green. I could hear a Crested Bellbird in the distance and tracked down a small group of Variegated Fairy-wrens. A Black-eared Cuckoo flew over small clearning and I also found an Inland Thornbill with some Chestnut-rumped Thornbills. Moving on to Burnside Rd I could hear a Shy Heathwren singing, a Brush Bronzewing "ooming" and found some more Variegated Fairy-wrens. I also found a group of about 6 Purple-gaped Honeyeaters. I could also hear a Gilbert's Whistler calling. More of the same at Campbell Dam nearby before I had a look at Mulga Dam where a White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike was a big surprise. The only mallee bird I missed out on was Yellow-plumed Honeyeater.
North of Kamarooka are couple of swamps I wanted to look at as well. Along Wilkinson Swamp Rd (though not the swamp itself) is a shallow grassy swamp where there were many waterbirds, a Brolga here was a highlight. Brown Songlarks and Stubble Quail were also calling from paddocks here. Further north at Wilkinson's Swamp itself a young White-bellied Sea-eagle was a good sighting. Red-kneed Dotterel. Latham's Snipe, Peregrine Falcon, White-winged Triller and lots of waterbirds were also here.
Red-kneed Dotterel and Wilkinson's Swamp. There were 6 birds altogether, at least 1 was an immature.
TERRICK TERRICK NATIONAL PARK
As I kept moving north next stop was the Terrick Terrick National Park. I made my way to the picnic/camping area, stopping on tracks along the way. Black-chinned Honeyeaters were seen along these tracks as well as Southern Whiteface, Western Gerygone was heard, Chestnut-rumped Thornbills, Yellow Thornbills and some Red-capped Robins. At the picnic area itself Mallee (or Australian) Ringneck, Varied Sittella, Diamond Firetail, Rainbow Bee-eater, heard Gilbert's Whistler and a Singing Honeyeater. White-backed Swallows were also seen near the park boundary as well as a Wedge-tailed Eagle. I had a tip about Plumed Whistling-Ducks nearby but as I already seen them today decided to move on fro the Terrick area.
View from Mt. Terrick Terrick
Heading north to Kow Swamp there were plenty of grassland birds to be seen such as Horsfield's Bushlark, Australasian Pipit and Brown Songlark. White-fronted Chats were along the roadsides as well.
Entrance to the park.
COHUNA AREA
First stop in this area was Kow Swamp were hundreds, probabaly thousands of Straw-necked and Australian White Ibis were wheeling overhead. A Yellow Rosella here was nice to see, many waterbirds and a White-breasted Woodswallow were also common. As the swamp is so vast and covered with reed beds in areas, it is hard to find places to get a good look.
Moving on the the Cohuna Sewage ponds where I was hoping to find a White-winged Fairy-wren and Red-necked Avocet, both were there along with a Blue-billed Duck, many Black-winged Stilts, Black-fronted Dotterel and other waterbirds. On the edge of the town there was a very nice looking dark morph Little Eagle.
Hird (above) and Johnsons Swamps were the next places to visit. Johnson's was basically dry, very few birds here, though a Horsfield's Bronze-cuckoo was nice. Hird Swamp did have water but was very overgrown, the track was rough and it was hard to see the swamp in parts. A good selection of waterbirds here, nothing unsual though.
KERANG
By now it was later afternoon and I was coming into Kerang where I was staying the night. Before I stopped and relaxed for a bit I drove just out of town to Tragowel Swamp (below). Compared to Hirds Swampm, access and viewing areas were much better here. Some good birds straight away such as Black-tailed Native-hen, Yellow-billed Spoonbil, a co-operative pair of Musk Duck (they came very close) and many Whistling Kites.
After a rest I headed out to a few sites around Kerang. I started at Foster's Swamp on the east side of the town, which is large salt lake which has can have waders. On the small pond before the big salt lake itself where many Black-winged Stilts, including many young birds, Red-kneed Dotterel, Black-fronted Dotterel, Marsh Sandpipers and a brief view of an Australian Spotted Crake before it ran into some rushes.
Young Black-winged Stilt
Black-fronted Dotterel
On the salt lake area itself were many roosting Australian Shelduck and Silver Gulls, Red-necked Avocets, Red-capped Plover and Red-necked Stints. Scanning with the scope I found a Pacific Golden Plover roosting by an old tree stump out of the wind. I am not sure, but I don't think they would be very common inland.
Foster's Swamp
Towards evening I went to have a look at the Kerang Weir on the north side of town. A family of 4 Grey-crowned Babblers was good to see, Black Kite here as well, Rufous Songlark, Peaceful Dove and Sacred Kingfisher were just some of the nearly 40 species here.
Last stop for the day was Town and Back Swamp Reserve by the Loddon River on the west of town. I found over 40 species, Buff-banded Rail, Royal Spoonbill, Nankeen Night Heron, Variegated Fairy-wren, Darter and many other waterbirds were here. This reserve is well set up for birders with well marked tracks, a hide and a levee bank which is gives great views over the wetlands.
Entrance sign.
View of the swamp.
Silver Gulls roosting.
Nankeen Night Heron (immature).
Bird sign on the levee bank.
White-necked Heron and Australian White Ibis
The Birdhide.
Buff-banded Rail (poor shot).
What an excellent spot (over 40 species here) to end an excellent day of birding. Tomorrow the plan was to spend time around the Kerang Lakes and over to south-west New South Wales to find some bitterns, read on in New Year Trip (Day 2).
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