Afternoon Survey at Vallances Road

It was the afternoon survey at Vallances Road, near the Brunswick River at Mullimbimby, in New South Wales’ Northern Rivers region. Bird numbers were down in parts and busy in others; a warm and fine day after another week of heavy rain along the coast. It was gumboot weather. The day finished on a high, with the sighting of two Black-necked Storks across the valley.

Spotted on the other side of the valley just as it was getting dark, two Black-necked Storks at the top of adjacent trees. While we were watching this bird flew towards us, landing in a creek and dissapearing from view in the reed beds.

Along a heavily wooded fenceline in the eastern paddock, three species of Fairy-wren were feeding in a small area. This Variegated Fairy-wren and its family, Superb Fairy-wrens and Red-backed Fairy-wrens.

This Spectacled Monarch was calling close by the river.

The White-throated Gerygones were out in force, with their shrill descending trills.

Vallances Road near Mullimbimby

It was not possible to survey the whole site last week at Vallances Road, near Mullimbimby in the Northern Rivers Region of New South Wales, as a fox eradication program was in progress. So bushland and farm paddocks adjoining the Brunswick River could not be accessed. Nevertheless the one kilometer of Vallances Road leading to the waste treatment plant yielded 60 species including a Collared Sparrowhawk, White-throated Honeyeaters, and Red-backed, Variegated and Superb Fairy-wrens. That total didn’t include any water birds apart from some Australian Wood Ducks up in a tree.

On arrival we were greeted by a flock of six King Parrots feeding on the roadside. The numbers increased to about a dozen with a small flock of Eastern Rosellas feeding nearby.

A solitary Olive-backed Oriole.

As always the identification of this bird as a Collared Sparrowhawk as opposed to Brown Goshawk was the subject of spirited discussion. The verdict of Collared Sparrowhawk was based on the long tail, square at the end with slight indentation and the bulging secondary feathers. Also perhaps a rounded head but difficult to tell from this photo.