Rylstone Weir

Rylstone Weir is a large lake on the Cudgegong River that supplies water to
Rylstone and Kandos. The track to the weir is on the northeastern edge of Rylstone. From central Rylstone, take Louee St to the north edge of town just before the bridge. Turn right into Dabee St, then left into Tongbong St which turns right and becomes Rylstone Dam Rd. Take this to the top of the rise and park along the side of the road near the locked gate. The pedestrian gate gives access to the track that winds up to the weir, and continues on to the headland on the far side.

A pair of raptors were circling and calling in the distance, and White-Browed Scrub Wrens and Superb Fairywrens scolded from the scrub. Rabbits broke from cover as we passed, and Wombat scat littered the path.

On the near side of the lake thick reeds and high grass made it difficult to see birds close by, but out on the water were Great Crested Grebe, Musk Duck, Darter, Black Swan, Little Pied Cormorant, Little Black Cormorant, Great Cormorant, Purple Swamphen, Eurasian Coot, Maned Duck and Pacific Black Duck. Reed Warblers could be heard, but not seen.

Tree Martins and Welcome Swallows buzzed the water in a search for insects.

Paddling across the stream in bare feet, we headed up the hill where we were more on a level with the treetops. There were many White-plumed Honeyeaters, one tending a neatly woven nest.

Eastern Yellow Robin were also plentiful, and similarly seemed to be tending nests in the low shrubs.

A Brown Treecreeper circled the tree trunks.

In the distance a Little Eagle soared, harried by smaller birds, but never coming close.

Birds that we saw, but only managed record shots, or no shots at all were an Azure Kingfisher, a flash of blue over the river; a pair of Sacred Kingfishers investigating a hollow high in a dead tree, an Olive-Backed Oriole resting briefly in high branches; two White-browed Babblers who called from within the blackberries before fleeing to the far side of the fence line; a Fuscous Honeyeater hawking for insects; Willie Wagtails; Noisy Miners; White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike and Black-Faced Cuckoo-Shrike; Rufous Whistler; Laughing Kookaburra; Crested Pigeon; Grey Shrike-thrush; Australian Magpie; Magpie-lark; and Peaceful Dove.