The Western Downs in Queensland is a fertile flat agricultural district to the west of Brisbane. It covers an area of 38,000 square kilometers, an area just smaller than Switzerland, and is part of the Darling Downs region. The black vertosols (cracking clay soils) support farming aided by water from the great artesian basin. The Condamine River flows through the area and together with a number of dams and water holes provide the best birdwatching.
Round Water Hole is a small pond close to the town of Chinchilla on the Warrego Highway through the Western Downs. The pond is surrounded by eucalypts which a number of birds, including this Sacred Kingfisher, were feeding from. A Restless Flycatcher was busy in an adjacent tree.
Three Greylag Geese added to a number of waterbirds at the Round Water Hole at Chinchilla; Little Black Cormorants, Grey Teal and Pacific Black Ducks.
Above them a Whistling Kite watched on.
Back down the road this Apostlebird was doing very well feeding in the chicken coup behind the town’s general store.
The dominant roadside bird by a long way across the whole region was sadly the introduced Common Myna, challenged in a few places by Magpie Larks.