[Birding-Aus] SW QLD Sightings - Not Bowra

[Nick Leseberg]

Hi All,

I just got back last week from a trip out to SW QLD, where I
spent a few days chasing the specialties in the area. With Bowra closed due to
rain and surveys I had to try and find the birds in some of their old haunts,
and managed pretty well.

We spent a fair bit of time around ‘Eulo’ Bore and areas
east of there looking for the mulga birds. I found Hall’s Babblers 7.5km east
of the bore, White-browed Treecreeper along the powerline 14.8km east of the
bore, and after checking the old ridgeline 3.5km east of the bore for
Chestnut-breasted Quail-Thrush without success, found one on the low rise 5km
east of the bore on the northern side of the road. The bore itself was quite
productive with several Bourke’s Parrots including adults feeding young, plenty
of Budgerigars and a Chirruping Wedgebill. Bourke’s Parrots were also seen
along the road to Cunnamulla a couple of times. Perhaps the biggest surprise in
this area though was a Holy Cross or Crucifix Frog hopping across the highway
in broad daylight - an incredible animal.

Continuing west of Eulo to Lake Bindegolly there were plenty
of birds, with the lake very full. Surprisingly there were absolutely no ducks
on any of the water I could see, with just a few Wood Ducks around the edge. There
were plenty of other water birds though, with both spoonbills, Darters on nests
plus others. There were also both Orange and Crimson Chats, and a White-fronted
Honeyeater was another good one here among the usuals. Lots of Budgies and
Zebra Finches as well.

Other incidental sightings were an Australian Bustard flying
over near Cunnamulla, Spotted Bowerbird outside the pub in Eulo, and
Plum-headed Finch near Cunnamulla. I also had brief views of what I think was
Pied Honeyeater about 50km east of Cunnamulla, after hearing an unusual
mournful piping note. It wasn’t the Pied Honeyeater call I am used to, but I
caught brief glimpses of the bird and am fairly sure that’s what it was.
If anyone wants more info, drop me an email.

Regards and good birding!

Nick LesebergTropical Birdingwww.tropicalbirding.com

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[robert burgoyne]

Thanks Nick, caught up with a lifer at Eulo Bore on 31/03 when I saw the CBQT at the same site. The ridge line starts just short of 5km from the bore as it rises up from the flat and the bird was on top and at the start of the ridge line through to about 200m along the top from this point (approx 200metres off the road). I saw it poorly initially at the end (start?) of the ridge where I flushed it twice, then later after losing it in low scrub it ran across an old track at the top of the ridge line about 200m further east and not being able to find it again I got better views on my return to the same area after about 40 minutes of looking at other birds whilst it skulked around in the undergrowth trying to avoid me. It then flew back to where I had seen it first, so I left it in peace.
I also headed out west on the Inaminka Road to the oil fields and the lower Cooper Creek in a vain search for the Grey Grass-wren (bitumen all the way, albeit a lot of single lane). The area still has plenty of water with 300mm flowing over the road in places where the channels cross it. Of course the place is very green with hundreds if not thousands of Black-tailed Native Hens enjoying the abundance of life the water has brought (walking in a shallow channel off the road I flushed at least 300!) . Pin in a haystack as far as Grey Grass-wren goes though!
Rob Burgoyne
> Message: 9
> Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2012 03:24:07 +0000
> From: Nick Leseberg <nick_l...@hotmail.com>
> To: Birding-aus <birdi...@vicnet.net.au>
> Subject: [Birding-Aus] SW QLD Sightings - Not Bowra
> Message-ID: <COL102-W7F9C67AF1...@phx.gbl>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"

... after checking the old ridgeline ... for > Chestnut-breasted Quail-Thrush without success, found one on the low rise 5km
> east of the bore on the northern side of the road...
>
>
> Nick LesebergTropical Birdingwww.tropicalbirding.com
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