Returning to the Capertee & Wolgan Valleys
Trip Report
Pantone’s Crown by
Rita Johnston-Lord |
The Blue Mountains drizzle provided an atmospheric start to the
weekend with our first stop at Evans Lookout where waratah flowers
stood out like red beacons along the roadside. We pulled up just
short of the carpark to look for the Flame Robin that I’d been
keeping an eye on all spring. No sooner had we got out of the bus and
it called, allowing everyone great views of this stunning bird. Flame
Robins have a preference for recently burnt forest, which explains
why it had moved into this patch (which was part of the Nov 2006
bushfire).
Two Grey Currawongs and some Brown-headed Honeyeaters were also seen
here. During morning tea we searched the trees for Glossy
Black-Cockatoos, unsuccessfully. However, just as we were leaving, a
soft, short growl got my attention and there, sitting quietly chewing
on Allocasuarina seeds, was a group of 3 Glossies. Probably been
sitting there watching us all along!
Driving west we saw 4 or 5 Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos on River
Lett Hill, and pale-yellow flowering Acacia falciformis graced the
roadside.
The two valleys that would be the focus of our weekend are separated
by just a narrow ridge yet are quite different in character and
birdlife, the Capertee being broader and characterised by more inland
species. Into the Wolgan we went first, the narrow winding road
giving spectacular views of the towering cliffs above the valley. At
the foot of the Wolgan Gap the tinkling calls of Bell Miners filtered
in through the bus windows.
Lunch by Carol’s Dam by Rita Johnston-Lord |
Between here and Newnes the birds were plentiful, with some of the
highlights along the road being Common Bronzewing, Double-barred
Finch, Diamond Firetail, Brown Falcon, Rainbow Bee-eater, Dusky
Woodswallow, White-winged Triller and an astonishing fight between 3
Pipits.
Our lunch site at Newnes campground had White-winged Choughs, a shiny
blue/black Satin Bowerbird, Brush Cuckoo heard and a multitude of
flies which tried their best to compete with us for lunch. The calls
of the Bleating Tree Frogs fooled some members of the group who
mistook them for various bird calls! A short walk after lunch yielded
several Rufous Whistlers, and White-naped and Yellow-faced
Honeyeaters. On the way out of the valley a Crested Shrike-tit was an
excellent sighting from the bus.
Our first birds for the Capertee Valley were none other than a small
flock of Plum-headed Finches perching along a fence. Further along
the road we found Diamond Firetail, Southern Whiteface, Zebra
Finches, Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo and a White-necked Heron. Brown
Songlarks are particularly numerous this year and this day we had
good scope views of a male on a fence. We arrived at our motel with a
good bird list already under our belt and looking forward to Sunday
to explore the Capertee Valley at greater length.
That night it rained, which was obviously appreciated by some of the
wildlife. While walking back to our motel after dinner, we found a
‘Pobblebonk’ or Banjo Frog on the road. This large frog is so named
because of its distinctive banjo-like “bonk” call. The rain stopped
just in time for our early morning walk on the golf course. Here we
saw Yellow-rumped Thornbills at a nest, Weebills and on a small
wooded ridge Speckled Warbler, Leaden Flycatcher, Olive-backed Oriole
and a female Red-capped Robin. A Koel called but was not seen.
Carol’s Property Capertee Valley by Rita Johnston-Lord |
The rest of the day was spent back in the Capertee Valley. At one
site six species of tiny birds included Western Gerygone performing
its sweet rambling song, and Buff-rumped, Yellow-rumped and Yellow
Thornbills. A Jacky Winter was trying to feed 2 young in a nest,
though the young didn’t seem interested. Our interest was held with
views of Pallid Cuckoo, White-browed Woodswallows, Striped
Honeyeater, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Mistletoebird, and an Azure
Kingfisher beside the river.
Late morning we headed onto my property where a party of Southern
Whitefaces were at the front gate to welcome us. Lunch was had in the
shade of a White Box tree beside the dam while Peaceful Doves,
Yellow-tufted, Fuscous and White-plumed Honeyeaters came to drink.
During a walk up in the woodland toward the cliffs we saw
White-browed Babblers, Brown Treecreepers and best of all: most of
the group had extended views of a Painted Button-quail.
We then left my place and headed back towards Capertee. A detour up
Crown Station Road for our last chance at Turquoise Parrots looked
like being unsuccessful until we had almost finished a short walk
along the road. Another bird call (something common which we quickly
forgot about) caused us to turn around at the exact moment a
Turquoise Parrot flew across, its shallow fluttering wingbeats,
yellow underparts and soft metallic call providing a scant but
adequate sighting.
The Capertee had once again lived up to its reputation as a
first-class birding area even though a lack of flowering meant that
there were few honeyeaters or lorikeets around and the Regents had
failed to breed and gone elsewhere. Nevertheless we saw more than 110
species during the weekend.
by Carol Probets guiding for FTB
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