Tour overview
This exciting 13 day tour specifically concentrates on the many specialties of the southern regions of Australia, parts of the outback and the great inland rivers. During the tour we found 268 species and experienced an amazing variety of landscapes and habitats, such as the Murray River, Flinders Ranges, mallee reserves, Deniliquin, Yarra Ranges, the Great Ocean Road and the Werribee Treatment Plant. The trip included some of Australia’s hardest to find, yet most sought-after species: Plains Wanderer, Mallee Emu-wren, Black-eared Miner, Superb Parrot, Pilot bird and many others.
Bellbird Tours Pty Ltd PO Box 2008 BERRI SA 5343 AUSTRALIA Ph. 1800-BIRDING Ph. +61409 763172 www.bellbirdtours.com birds@bellbirdtours.com ABN 40 159 352 002
Daily account
Day 1:
The group travelled from Adelaide to Lyndhurst in the SA outback, birding along the way. A long day but almost 90 species were recorded, with highlights good numbers of Black-tailed Native-hen, 2 Blue-winged and 2 Elegant Parrots, a flock of Banded Stilt, the elusive Slender-billed Thornbill and a Pied Honeyeater.
Day 2:
A days birding around Lyndhurst yielded great views of the rare Thick-billed Grasswren and Rufous Fieldwren. At a waterhole, large flocks of Zebra Finches came in to drink as well as Sacred and Red-backed Kingfisher. Nesting Black-breasted Buzzards and Little Eagles provided great photographic opportunities.
Day 3:
Chirruping Wedgebills, Cinnamon Quail-thrush and Rufous Fieldwren were observed around Lyndhurst, before the group explored the rugged Flinders Ranges, with great views of the rare Yellowfooted Rock-wallaby as well as Redthroat, Inland Thornbill, Elegant and Ringneck parrots. A pair of the very rare Short-tailed Grasswrens showed well on the spinifex-covered slopes.
Day 4:
The area around Wilpena Pound yielded Southern Scrubrobin, Inland Thornbill, Redthroat, Whiteeared Honeyeater and Collared Sparrowhawk as highlights. After an uneventful drive we reached the Murray river, where the group saw many waterbirds, including Yellow-billed and Royal Spoonbill, Rednecked Avocet, Australian Shoveler, 3 species of Grebe, and Little Grassbird to finish in the riverside town of Berri.
Day 5:
The area around Wilpena Pound yielded Southern Scrubrobin, Inland Thornbill, Redthroat, Whiteeared Honeyeater and Collared Sparrowhawk as highlights. After an uneventful drive we reached the Murray river, where the group saw many waterbirds, including Yellow-billed and Royal Spoonbill, Rednecked Avocet, Australian Shoveler, 3 species of Grebe, and Little Grassbird to finish in the riverside town of Berri.
Day 6:
At sunrise we found ourselves witnessing a pair of Chestnut Quail-thrush just outside Berri. Afterwards, more Freckled Ducks were seen near Berri and a cute Owlet-nightjar, followed by Whitebacked Swallows nesting in the Murray’s cliffs and Blue Bonnets along the roadsides. In the evening, a Malleefowl was observed near Ouyen, Vic.
Day 7:
A big day: at sunrise we found ourselves watching Mallee Emu-wrens and Striated Grasswrens near Ouyen, Vic. We then travelled to Deniliquin on the plains of NSW while observing more Regent Parrots along the way. A small remnant patch of bushland held a surprising variety of birds: Whitebrowed Treecreeper, Black Honeyeater, White-winged Triller and nesting Rainbow Bee-eaters. Once at Deniliquin, we witnessed a Square-tailed Kite pair at their nest and the first of many Superb Parrots. An evening spotlighting session yielded no less than 8 Plains Wanderers as well as many other goodies: Horsfield’s Bushlark, Inland Dotterel, Stubble Quail, Southern Boobook and Eastern Barn Owls.
Day 8:
The river floodplain forests around Deniliquin were the focus of the morning. Superb Parrot, Western Gerygone, Crested Shrike-tit, Pied Honeyeater and Long-billed Corellas were the highlights. In the afternoon, thousands of waterbirds provided a spectacle at the sewage ponds including hundreds of Plumed Whistling-ducks.
Day 9:
An early morning visit to extensive reedbeds yielded Australian Little Bittern and Baillon’s Crake. Grey-crowned Babblers were found in trees in the endless farmlands on the way to Chiltern. Once there, we commenced birding the box-ironbark forests where we found 4 new honeyeaters for the trip, Little Lorikeet and Shining Bronze-cuckoo.
Day 10:
A return to the Chiltern forests this morning where we observed Crested Shrike-tit, Eastern Yellow Robin, Diamond Firetail, nesting White-throated Gerygones, nicely showing Painted Buttonquail and 3 Speckled Warblers. We then headed to the Yarra ranges around Healesville. The tall Mountain Ash forests here gave us a first taste of their birdlife with Red-browed Treecreeper, King Parrot, Flame Robin and Fan-tailed Cuckoo.
Day 11:
The morning was spent in the forests near Healesville: Pilotbird, Rose Robin and Satin Flycatcher before we visited a family of Powerful Owls in Melbourne. The parents and their 2 white-ish young showed well on their daytime roost. At our destination for the night, Geelong, we had Rainbow, Musk and Purple-crowned Lorikeet all in 1 tree.
Day 12:
we birded the Western Treatment Plant at Werribee for the morning racking up a total of 66 species! These included highlights such as almost all southern Australian duck species, Cape Barren Geese, dozens of Australian and Baillons Crakes, Banded Stilt, Curlew Sandpiper, Red Knot and ‘little brown jobs’ such as Striated Fieldwren and Golden-headed Cisticola. We ended up in Anglesea, at the start of the scenic Great Ocean Road, for the night.
Day 13:
a highlight of the trip with great scenery and some fantastic birds. The skulking Rufous Bristlebird showed well; the elusive Southern Emu-wren and Chestnut-rumped Heathwren; a pair of Gang-gang Cockatoos perched in a tree; a glossy male Satin Bowerbird; and many more added to a total trip tally of 268 bird species! A celebratory final dinner was enjoyed by all back in Melbourne.