currawong cottage
attacking them - mainly brush turkeys, possums and wallabies. He also pointed out a rather pregnant one of the latter grazing on a bush a few yards away as we chatted.
The cottages were built in the fifties and are quite basic, with no TV, radio or phone (nevermind wifi!), and an outside loo, but they're very cosy, and have everything we needed for a thoroughly enjoyable weekend.
We passed the time reading/ running/ walking/ golfing/ kayaking by day, and reading/Scrabbling (until Chris got bored of losing)/ eating and wine-drinking by night.
The area is stunning. We breakfasted whilst admiring the view out across the water to Palm
Needing a well earned rest, Ilona and I decided to spend 4 days in The Grampians in Western Victoria. Despite this being a time of just relaxing, I did manage to get a few moments birding in also.
Each day was much the same. Get up late, go for a walk, have brunch, go for a drive, go for a walk, have dinner, go to bed. Just how God designed it to be!!
Day 1: Monday, June 16.
Left Adelaide after lunch having delegated my responsibilities for Monday evening to others. Stopped for coffee at Bordertown and to check on the Bush Stone-Curlews! We arrived at our “Cottage” around 8.00pm after dinner in Horsham. Heatherlie Cottage is actually a luxury couples cottage complete with double spa bath and gas open fire place. See http://www.heatherlie.com/. Well recommended!!
Day 2: Tuesday, June 17.
Up Late. Brunch in Halls Gap. Drove north along the Mount Zero road to Roses gap where we did the Waterfall walk. Relatively easy but great views and excellent bushland. Back at the cottage, in the late afternoon, I decided to check out a local birding spot called Devil’s Garden State Forest. Notables were, Yellow-tufted Honeyeater (lifer), Square-tailed Kite and Chestnut-rumped Heath-wren.
Day 3: Wednesday, June 18.
Up Late-ish, Had breakfast and headed south along the main tourist road towards the southern town of Dunkeld. We stopped at the lowest part of the Grampians National Park where we climbed Mt. Sturgeon. Brilliant views in all directions complete with a pair of duelling Peregrine Falcons. Other notables were Eastern Spinebill, Yellow-tufted Honey-eater, and Scarlet Robin. We then headed for Dunkeld for Lunch.
The next spot on the agenda was the famed Bryan’s Swamp to the west of the southern Grampians. Reportedly a huge wetland full of birds, with the drought and this being the beginning of winter, I renamed it to “Bryan’s Dusty Emu Paddock”, as that’s about all we saw. We then decided as we had time to drive through the centre of the Victoria Valley back to Halls gap. This was a magic drive. The road was excellent for dirt and the bush was looking great even after the fires a couple of years ago. A quick stop at Moora Moora Dam produced White-bellied Sea Eagle and a few water birds. As we were ascending the final 2 km's of dirt (10 km's from Halls gap) we were informed by another driver that a tree had fallen and blocked the road. We had the prospect of the 40km detour back to the previous exit or find another track! We took the latter and soon we were on the tar via a pleasant drive along the Roses Creek Track.
Day 4: Thursday, June 19
I decided to head out to Devil’s Gardens (right) again to see what it was like in the morning, this time scoring with Black-chinned Honey-eater (lifer). After lunch we headed north again, to the waterfall track near Troopers Creek campsite. After another great walk we drove west to the Wartook Tea-rooms. I dropped Ilona off here to read and have many cups of tea in front of the awesome fire, while I headed of to the Wartook State Forest 1km up the dirt road directly opposite. Again a great piece of natural bush and I soon got onto Yellow-tufted Honey-eater, Fuscous Honey-eater (lifer), Hooded Robin and Speckled Warbler (lifer). As I had all my targets in 45 minutes I headed back also for a cup of tea! Back for another spa and then out for dinner again.
Day 5: Friday, June 20
Headed home via Lake Fyans, just east of Hall Gap. Again with the drought the lake was quite low but still held many waterbirds. I would have liked to spend more time in the neighbouring bushland but it was time to head back.
A brilliant trip all round. The weather was excellent for winter with only a little rain. The birds were well above expectations with Devil’s Gardens State Forest and Wartook State Forest being exceptional!
Birds seen:
Emu
Musk Duck
Black Swan
Australian Shelduck
Australian Wood Duck
Pacific Black Duck
Grey Teal
Chestnut Teal
Hoary-headed Grebe
Little Pied Cormorant
Australian Pelican
White-faced Heron
Great Egret
Square-tailed Kite
Whistling Kite
White-bellied Sea-Eagle
Swamp Harrier
Brown Falcon
Peregrine Falcon
Purple Swamphen
Eurasian Coot
Masked Lapwing
Silver Gull
Crested Pigeon
Long-billed Corella
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Rainbow Lorikeet
Crimson Rosella
Eastern Rosella
Red-rumped Parrot
Laughing Kookaburra
White-throated Treecreeper
Brown Treecreeper
Superb Fairy-wren
Spotted Pardalote
Striated Pardalote
White-browed Scrubwren
Chestnut-rumped Heathwren
Speckled Warbler (Life)
Weebill
Buff-rumped Thornbill
Yellow Thornbill
Striated Thornbill
Red Wattlebird
Yellow-faced Honeyeater
White-eared Honeyeater
Yellow-tufted Honeyeater (Life)
Fuscous Honeyeater (Life)
White-plumed Honeyeater
Black-chinned Honeyeater (Life)
Brown-headed Honeyeater
White-naped Honeyeater
New Holland Honeyeater
Eastern Spinebill
White-fronted Chat
Jacky-Winter
Scarlet Robin
Hooded Robin
Eastern Yellow Robin
White-browed Babbler
Varied Sittella
Golden Whistler
Grey Shrike-thrush
Restless Flycatcher
Grey Fantail
Willie Wagtail
Australian Magpie
Pied Currawong
Grey Currawong
Australian Raven
White-winged Chough
Australian Pipit
House Sparrow
Red-browed Finch
Mistletoebird
Welcome Swallow
Tree Martin
Golden-headed Cisticola
Silvereye
Common Blackbird
Total: 80
