Winton

Crested Pigeon

We checked into the Matilda Country Tourist Park, where we were given a great spot under a group of trees, and set up our 'big camp', a screened gazebo under which we could have a little tent for sleeping, Dusty's crate, a kitchen table, and a chair and coffee table. It was HOT, and flies were BAD, so we were the envy of those who had to choose between the caravan and the open.

Birding was good from the gazebo with Yellow-throated Miners, White-plumed Honeyeaters, and Inland Thornbills foraging in and under the trees, and a dripping tap attracting a steady stream of birds.

Apostlebird

Of an evening birds gathered on the powerlines to bath in pools left behind by the sprinkler.

Black-faced Woodswallow

Diamond Dove

White-plumed Honeyeater

Zebra Finch

Galah

White-breasted Woodswallow

Cassilis

Headed to Mudgee along the Golden Highway I pulled into the rest area at Cassilis, a good spot for a leg stretch for both myself and Dusty, and a place where I always seem to find interesting birds – including once a pair of Red-winged Parrots. It didn’t disappoint this time with a Fan-tailed Cuckoo calling above and White-winged Choughs chattering on the ground.

A group of Red-rumped Parrots flew up into the trees as we walked joining the Galahs. I could hear Thornbills high above.

Driving on to the point marking the top of the Great Dividing Range at 692 metres elevation, I spotted a baby Channel-billed Cuckoo perched on a branch overhanging the road, and risked life and limb to snap a photo.

Nyngan

Apostlebirds always come in small groups of 12 or 13 birds following a charismatic leader.

OK so the bit about the leader isn't true, but they do seem to form communal groups of around 10 to 12 birds. The group has a dominant male and several females and young birds.

In its own genus (Struthidea cinerea) it is placed in the family known as the mud-nest builders or Corcoracidae, with the White-winged Chough (Corcorax melanorhamphos), which differs in appearance but exhibits many behavioural similarities. The two birds are often found foraging near each other along country roadsides. The natural range is across inland eastern Australia, in dry forests or woodland near water. As a kid I knew them as Happy Jacks, they were also called CWA Birds, though I can't think why.

Apostlebird facts:

• Apostlebirds are a communal species with each family group generally containing only one breeding pair, the rest being their helper offspring.


• All family members help construct a labour-intensive mud nest.


• If a previous season’s nest is in good condition, it is re-lined and used again.


• Emu dung is used as a substitute for mud in dry years.


• Apostlebirds become excited after rain even outside the breeding season, picking up mud and running about with it.


• Chick raising tasks including brooding, feeding and removing faecal sacs are evenly shared by all birds.


• The group can begin a second clutch in another nest within one week of the first brood leaving the nest.


• They engorge their irides with blood when excited.


• Groups remain within their territories, which averaged 25 ha though during the heat of summer, several groups congregate close to a permanent water supply.


• Apostlebirds feed on the ground, gathering a variety of insects such as grasshoppers, weevils, shield-bugs and ants; they also eat a wide range of small seeds


• Allopreening is common within the groups and several birds frequently sit side by side on a branch, preening both themselves and one another.


• They roost side by side, usually touching.

Chapman, G., The Social Life of the Apostlebird Struthidea cinerea Emu. Vol. 98, no. 3, pp. 178-183. Sep 1998.

Bourke to Nyngan

We left Bowra Station after lunch, and wanted to get to Nyngan in time for the roast of the day at the RSL club, so most of the bird spotting was done at 100kmph.

However there were two moments of note. First was the amount of water along the road near Bourke. Long puddles attracted large number of birds including choughs and apostlebirds, and the green grass and herbs provided food and cover for many more. Second was the emu bush in bloom over a 20 km section between Bourke and Nygan which held literally thousands of woodswallows which flew up in flocks of 50 to 100 birds as we passed.

Bird list:

Masked Woodswallows (pictured above)

Apostlebird (pictured above)

Letter-winged Kite

Whistling Kite

Black Kite

Australian Kestrel

Australian Raven

Australasian Magpie

Wedge-tailed Eagle

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike

White-breasted Woodswallow

White-browed Woodswallow

Cockatiel

White-winged Chough

Galah

Red-winged Parrot

Crested Pigeon

Walka Reserve

The historic Waterworks, just outside Maitland, features a beautiful old pumphouse with highly decorative brickwork, and a lake with extensive walking tracks through the surrounding bush.

I met up with Maureen and we started off along the miniature railway track alongside the lake, hiding in the shrubbery from time to time to coax the ducks, swans and grebes into coming back closer to shore. The grevilleas were in full flower and little birds chased insects amongst the blossoms. There were few honeyeaters though. We did the whole circuit focusing our lenses alternately on the lake and the bush.

White-winged Choughs are a favourite of mine. When I lived in one of the new southern suburbs of Canberra a group would come by regularly and take food from my hand. They are highly social birds, living in family groups of up to twenty birds. Nesting and breeding is communal, with all birds helping to raise the young. Choughs spend most of their time on the ground, foraging for worms, insects, grain, and snails in a loose group. They walk with a distinctive swagger, and call softly to one another every few seconds. When one bird finds something special they all come running to share it.

Bird list:

White winged Chough (pictured above)

Blue billed Duck

Musk Duck

Black Swan

Australian Shelduck

Australian Wood Duck

Pacific Black Duck

Australasian Shoveller

Grey Teal

Chestnut Teal

Hardhead

Australasian Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

Darter

Little Pied Cormorant

Little Black Cormorant

Great Cormorant

Australian Pelican

White faced Heron

Great Egret

Cattle Egret

Australian White Ibis

Royal Spoonbill

Purple Swamphen

Dusky Moorhen

Eurasian Coot

Spur-winged Plover

Crested Pigeon

Eastern Rosella

Superb Fairywren

White-browed Scrubwren

Yellow-rumped Thornbill

Red Wattlebird

Yellow-faced Honeyeater

Golden Whistler

Magpie-lark

Grey Fantail

Willie Wagtail

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike

Red-browed Finch

Australian Magpie

Australian Raven

Welcome Swallow

Silvereye

Common Myna