There were initially few birds to be seen or heard near Blazing Saddles on the beautiful autumn morning of our bird walk, but we ended up identifying 32 species.
This was very different to February last year when the area seemed alive with birds, and we counted 43 bird species. This gave us time to spend looking at some plants, and the large number of kangaroos on the river flats.
Examining Nodding Saltbush climbing up a dead tree – all photos by Margaret Lacey
Kangaroos
However, when we went on further we came to an area near the creek with a number of interesting species.
Red-browed Finch
After that we had wonderful sightings of some Flame Robins, with the male bird’s brilliant orange red-chest shining in the sunlight.
Flame Robin
We then saw a similar looking bird with a shining yellow/bronze chest, and were initially greatly excited as we thought we had discovered a totally new species. On further examination we realized it was an immature Flame Robin, but really good to see all the same.
A final excitement was an unknown raptor flying over the paddocks, and then two raptors being chased by a Wedge-tailed Eagle.
Morning tea at Distillery Creek produced a few more species and gave us time to check all our resources to try and identify this raptor.
Morning tea
Margaret Lacey’s stunning camera work and lightening reflexes were an integral ingredient in our research but it needed an expert to later identify the bird as a Collared Sparrowhawk.
Collared Sparrowhawk
Elllinor Campbell
Below are all the birds identified on this walk:
1. Australian Wood Duck
2. Pacific Black Duck
3. Little Pied Cormorant
4. Little Black Cormorant
5. Collared Sparrowhawk
6. Wedge-tailed Eagle
7. Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
8. Crimson Rosella
9. Laughing Kookaburra
10. White-throated Treecreeper
11. Superb Fairy-wren
12. White-browed Scrubwren
13. Striated Thornbill
14. Spotted Pardalote
15. Yellow-faced Honeyeater
16. White-eared Honeyeater
17. White-plumed Honeyeater
18. Little Wattlebird
19. Red Wattlebird
20. New Holland Honeyeater
21. White-naped Honeyeater
22. Grey Shrike-thrush
23. Australasian Magpie
24. Pied Currawong
25. Grey Fantail
26. Willy Wagtail
27. Magpie Lark
28. Flame Robin
29. Welcome Swallow
30.Tree Martin
31. Common Starling
32. Red-browed finch