Barraba

Dusky Woodswallow

Leaden Flycatcher

Jacky Winter

Barraba was one of the first regions to map and publicise Bird Routes and to conserve and maintain the travelling stock reserves as the cornerstone of a nature-based tourism industry. The routes are well signposted, and detailed descriptions of the routes and bird checklists are available from the visitor information centre.

However keep in mind that the birds don't read the brochures. My first stop was not mentioned in any of the guides and trip reports and yet gave close-up views of Spotted Pardalotes, Willie Wagtails, Brown-headed Honeyeaters, Dusky Woodswallows, Jacky Winter, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Leaden Flycatchers, and White-plumed Honeyeaters. The spot was Adam's Lookout.

I headed west on the Trevallyn Road to Plumthorpe TSR, where the water was flowing strongly in the Manilla River, with signs that levels had recently been very high. The White Box trees were just starting to flower, with Brown-headed Honeyeaters  and Striped Honeyeaters gleaning among the leaves. Dollarbirds returned to perches high in a dead tree, an Eastern Yellow Robin flew in close, King and Red-winged Parrots flew overhead, and Striated Pardalotes kept to the tops of the trees.

At Little Creek TSR  Noisy Miners called an alarm, and a White-throated Gerygone flitted in the creek-side shrubs. The grass here was also close to waist height which made walking fairly unpleasant, and combined with the vandalised picnic facilities didn't encourage me to linger.

Brown-headed Honeyeater

I drove the Cobbadah-Upper Horton Route but there was little in flower, and it was mid-afternoon, so I added only fleeing Grey-crowned Babblers and a Pacific Heron to my day list.