Early last Friday morning before the heat went crazy, we headed up the mountain to Barren Grounds Nature Reserve in New South Wales. The temperature eventually went over 40C - about 105F, but it cooled off nicely in the evening. BG is one of my favorite places. It is beautiful and birdy and I love it.
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| Troopy seeking the shade in the car park at Barren Grounds. |
The habitat there is classified as a 'hanging swamp plateau'. This is because it has large areas of heath and swamp and it is elevated up on a plateau. It also gets a lot of rain. I must say that it is definitely my favorite hanging swamp plateau! We were there and I am grateful!
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| Looking out across the plateau |
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| My birding partner in one of the more forested areas by the car park. |
I have been to Barren Grounds several times. I got my lifer Pilotbird, Ground Parrot and Eastern Bristlebird there on past visits. Lynn had also gotten the parrot and bristlebird there last March, so on Friday we were hoping to find her a Pilotbird and that we did. I am very grateful.
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| Eastern Bristlebirds having a bit of lunch. |
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| We also had some rather low flying White-throated Needletails over Barren Grounds. |
We had not found the Pilotbird where I had previously seen them. So we concentrated our search in the foresty areas around the Illawarra Lookout because that was mentioned in Tim Dolby’s blog. Just past the path to the lookout, I could see where some people had walked through the brush. Not a trail, just a spot where for some reason several people (birders perhaps?) had tromped in. We walked in about 25 meters and almost immediately heard two Pilotbirds. With a bit of manuvering around Lynn was able to get good lifer looks. I am grateful! (And thank you Tim).
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| Pilotbird (this is the one that I first saw there. I stood back out of the way and only had glimpses of Lynn's lifer. I did not need to try and get its photo). |
It is now Monday and we are in Portland, VIC where early this arvo, Lynn, Robert and I got our lifer Cape Gannets at Point Danger. This was a perfect example of social network bird connections working. I had mentioned in Victorian Birders on FB that we were going to try for the Gannet today. My friend Paul Dodd suggested getting in touch with Rob Farnes. I did. Rob offered to take us to the Gannet Colony and we got the bird. Tick! I am very grateful. We had Lifer Pie (a little chocolate mud cake for me) with coffee. A wonderful day and I am grateful!
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| Cape Gannet looking at you. |
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| See? I'm a Cape Gannet! |
Stay tuned there is so much more to come. I wish you all joy from the southwest coast of Victoria.
Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music. Amongst It.
Enjoyable pie for that bird. I will be seeking the pilotbird soon as well. I was beginning to think they were a myth ;-)
ReplyDeleteGreat blog. Thañk you again.
Enjoyable pie for that bird. I will be seeking the pilotbird soon as well. I was beginning to think they were a myth ;-)
ReplyDeleteGreat blog. Thañk you again.
There are places in VIC to see them, but BG has been my go-to place for them... I'm sure you'll get them somewhere!
DeleteAnother great post, Bruce! Fascinating combination of habitats and birds in this one - from hanging swamp plateau to the coast and a gannet colony. Warmest wishes to you and Lynn from your friends in Ohio!
ReplyDeleteAnd our warmest (and they are pretty warm as it is almost summer here) wishes and thoughts to y'all as well! Cheers my friend, so glad you are enjoying the posts.
ReplyDelete