Hi all, With a 3 day weekend we needed to get out of Melbourne. Camping would take too much organising (well, OK, truthfully, winter in Vic is a bit cold for a tent these days – smile). We got a room at the Ouyen Motel and had dinners at the hotel across from the railway station. The food was OK pub food but the building, opened in 1919 when the publican was a Mr Greed, is special. There is a grand central staircase out of the foyer and all the doors have ornate lead-light panels announcing the “Commercial Travellers” room, “Ladies Lounge”, “Bar” and three “Dinning Rooms”. I felt totally under-dressed in my birding gear and wished I had packed my full Edwardian dinner gown (smile). Our first stop was at Lake Tyrell to look for Rufous Fieldwrens (found) and Orange Chats (dipped), look for new birding locations around Ouyen, try Honeymoon Track in the Sunset Country and have a look at Hattah. For our new location we were driving along Scott Road south west of Ouyen in the Timberoo Nature Reserve. When we saw the Native Pines on Scott Road we both thought “White-browed Treecreeper”. We stopped and got out and yes, there they were. A little further down the road we found the Timberoo Water-well. The well was dry but the surrounding bush was full of birds. A magic location and for those without a 4X4 it is a sealed road location for White-browed Treecreeper that is closer to Melbourne than Yarrara. Sunset was very quiet but we tried it on Saturday afternoon and again on Sunday morning. From there we took back roads across to Pink Lakes and found they are full of water. A quick drive for about 1 km along the Mt Crozier track (X-Trail or Subie etc but not 2 wheel drive) got us to our Striated Grasswren site and Joy heard them calling before we were out of the car. I couldn’t hear them but I saw them first as I nearly stepped on one getting out of the car. The Big surprise for the weekend was when we got into Hattah. It is a MUST visit right now if you have the time because all the lakes are full and they are actually still pumping water in as part of an environmental flow and they have recently had good rains. Even the campground at Lake Hattah is flooded and they have built a causeway across it. Out on the road to Mournpall we stopped at a group of tall redgums and 7 species of parrot were sunning and checking out nesting hollows. There were Regent Parrot, Australian Ringneck, Yellow Rosella, Major Mitchell Cockatoo, Little Corella, Galah and Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. It was a magic sight. The sun was out and the mix of colours, pinks and greys and yellows and greens, all flashing and shining, was spectacular. I have never before seen so many beautiful bird species crowded into such a small space. I will do a blog with some photos but it might not get up until after this weekend as I hear that Kamarooka is full of birds and a visit is mandatory (smile). cheers Jenny http://jenniferspryausbirding.blogspot.com.au/ _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org
Hi Euan, Thanks for adding this information. It is wonderful news. I remember back in the early 1970s when it was OK to camp anywhere in park area and we camped at the stock yards beside a flooded Chalka Creek one night and the next night beside Lake Bitterang. Birds were everywhere and the grasslands were green and tall. How wonderful if these conditions could return. I am more than happy to wait a year or two for the current flooding to subside. And my thanks to all the parks staff and others who have made this flooding possible. cheers Jenny http://jenniferspryausbirding.blogspot.com.au/ On 14 June 2014 14:00, Euan Moore < calamanthus5@bigpond.com> wrote: _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org
Awesome. On 14/06/2014, at 2:00 PM, Euan Moore < calamanthus5@bigpond.com> wrote: _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org
Hi All, I was at Hattah over the LWE as part of a rabbit survey with Parks Vic, Mallee CMA and Victorian National Parks Association (VNPA). The ranger told us a bit about the environmental water program which is currently happening at Hattah NP and referred to by Jenny Spry. Currently the water is at a moderate to high flood and is rising at about 2cm per day. It is planned to keep pumping water until November 2014, at which time the lake levels will be about 2m higher than at present. This will completely flood the Hattah campground. Lake Mournpall campground may not be flooded but will be inaccessible because of flooded roads. The lakes walking track east of Hattah Lake is already closed due to the flooding as is the northern half of the walk at Lake Mournpall. This flood should flood much of the black box country which has not had a proper drink for at least 25yrs and give a much needed boost to the red gums that suffered so badly during the drought years. There should also be sufficient flooded forest to allow for breeding waterbirds and colonial nesters such as herons, darters and cormorants. With all this water around the ranger strongly recommended that visitors check on access to the park when planning a visit. Access conditions are changing fairly rapidly at the moment. A canoe may be the best way to get around these wetlands for the next year or so. We also found a couple of previously unrecorded Malleefowl mounds during our rabbit search. Cheers, Euan _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org