Before I left the UK I had been in touch with www.birdingtours.com.au to arrange a couple of days birding with a guide. My contact was Phil Hansbro who had been very helpful in organising an itinerary that would maximise my chances of seeing as many species as possible.
So it was on the 21st of June that I caught the train from Sydney Central up to Newcastle and the Hunter Valley around 170k up the coast.
I broke my journey at Gosford to meet up with another of my cousins, Michelle who I hadn't seen since 1978. Michelle picked me up from the station and we went back to her place for a drink and a chat, with me picking up my first Galah's of the trip on the way and a splendid King Parrot in her garden.
After a catch up we then we then went for a drive up the coast to Tarrigle where a walk produced a very confiding Little Wattlebird and a single Australian Pelican.
 |
| Little Wattlebird |
 |
| Australian Pelican |
All too soon it was time for me to continue my journey and say goodbye to Michelle and her husband Robert. Michelle gave me a lift back to the station and I arrived in Newcastle around 7pm and caught a cab to my Motel.
The next morning I was up early at 5:30am and looking out of the window saw my guide for the day, Greg waiting outside. Greg turned out to be a very capable birder but also a very good botanist as well and spent the day sharing his extensive knowledge of the local environment.
We travelled through a variety of habitats and picked up some very good and unexpected birds, in particular the Australian Hobby which was according to Greg very unseasonal.
 |
| Australian Hobby |
It was a good day for raptors in general with Black Kite, White Bellied Sea Eagle, Collared Sparrowhawk and Whistling Kite all being seen.
 |
| Black Kite |
 |
| White Bellied Sea Eagle |
 |
| Whistling Kite |
Greg also managed to track down a Satin Bowerbird and to find its remarkable nest as well
 |
Satin Bowerbird's Bower
|
We ended the day with a 'mini' sea watch and my first ever views of Albatross's
The next morning it was up early yet again and my days birding with Phil Hansbro, or to give him his full title Professor Phil Hansbro, Dr of Microbiology at Newcastle University and a leader in the field of Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Airway Disease. Phil is also one of the best birders in Australia and an Ex pat from Leeds.
We started with a visit to Kooragang Island in the middle of the Hunter River and very soon had seen Yellow Thornbill, Torresian Crow, Australian Black Shouldered Kite and Mangrove Gerygone.
 |
| Australian Black Shouldered Kite |
Today was another day with unseasonal bonuses like Pink-Eared Duck,Wandering Whistling Duck and Olive Backed Oriole.
 |
| Pink Eared Duck (Fifth bird from the left) |
 |
| Olive Backed Oriole |
A visit to a local estuary gave my list a rapid increase with familiar species like Gull Billed Tern, Knot and Bar and Black Tailed Godwits plus new ticks like Black Necked Stilt,Pied Oystercatcher,Red Necked Avocet,Red Capped Plover, Red Necked Stint, Eastern Curlew, Grey Tailed Tatler and Pacific Golden Plover.
 |
| Red Necked Avocet |
 |
| Red Capped Plover |
We then moved inland again and after a sudden rainstorm when we took shelter in the car before we looked for Powerful Owl and Tawny Frogmouth. We dipped on both and it was to become one of my main birding disappointments that I didn't manage to connect with either species during my trip, despite several attempts to do so. Reason number one for a return visit !
Phil now took us down some pretty 'hairy' dirt tracks in his Toyota Corolla that thought it was a 4X4.
In some parts the car was almost at 45 degrees as we negotiated the ruts and puddles. It was worth it though for the stand out bird of the trip ! A superb male Eastern Spinebill, I'd seen the female the day before when out with Greg but the male was WOW what a bird !
Last bird of the day was a Jacky Winter, a bird Phil was keen for me to connect with. I ended the trip with over 140 species which Phil advised was very good given the time of year.
 |
| Striated Heron |
 |
| White Necked Heron |
 |
| Red Kneed Doterell |
 |
| Caspian Tern |
 |
| Magpie Geese |
 |
| Wandering Whistling Ducks |
No comments:
Post a Comment