Page 20 - Out Birding Spring 2023

Swapping Ireland for an Aussie Trip
At the end of March, I was finally able to get airborne and wing it to Australia. COVID certainly put the “LONG” into long distance rela􏰀onship these last two years. I arrived in Northern New South Wales for a couple of weeks, then a week in Victoria and a great week in the Tweed Heads region of Queensland. The birds are pre􏰁y plen􏰀ful in Australia and in spite of being a li􏰁le later arriving
than other years I was not disappointed. Botanic Gardens are always good places to start, especially the na􏰀ve plant sec􏰀on and the rainforest areas. Na􏰀ve birds just love their na􏰀ve plants! Coffs Harbour Garden produced White-browed Scrub Wren, Black Cockatoo, Sa􏰀n Bower Birds, Double Barred Finch, Red Browed Finch, Rosella and many honeyeaters including the Lewin Honey Eaters, to men􏰀on but a few. So many other birds too and there were many firsts for me.
White-browed Scrub Finch
Double-barred Finch
Queensland and the Tweed River
didn’t disappoint either when we took a boat ride and had close up views of Ospreys nes􏰀ng on pla􏰂orms and trees, White Bellied Sea Eagles, Brahminy Kites, Spoon- bills and a Striated Heron to count a few. I was also lucky to see the Forest Kingfisher (my first) around Tweed Heads. They prefer to nest in termite nests that are in trees and occasionally use tree hollows.
In Victoria I had some luck to see (another first) the Azure Kingfisher. This Kingfisher has a long slender bill and not as chunky as the other King-
fishers, it is also one of the smallest. Pale Headed Rosella, White Plumed Honey Eat- er, Red-rumped parrots, Black Shouldered Kite, Golden Whistlers and even Emus! On the drive back to NSW a beau􏰀ful pair of Wedge Tailed Eagles, a Spo􏰁ed Harrier and a Black Kite. Lots and lots of Corellas, Fairy Wrens, Cockatoos and Kestrels. It was a real bonus to see the birds of prey. There are real concerns in Australia regarding the popula􏰀on of many of the species, especially the Wedge Tailed Eagles a􏰃er the re- cent mice plague. The mice plague was so bad ( I am sure you saw it on the news) people had no choice but to resort to poison which of course meant that many of the birds ate contaminated food.
It was a fantas􏰀c trip and I certainly look forward to the next one. Each 􏰀me I go I learn more, find more and remember more. My birding in Australia is what one might term easy birding. I go out to places like gardens, tree lined streets, car parks near the beaches etc. I have never gone as part of a group and I try to fit in as much as possible but I don’t spend every day out. Anyway, I wouldn’t want to be accused of over feeding the mossies and sand flies.
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Dorothy