A group of 12 in the minibus had a very pleasant day in this box-ironbark forest where 58 species were recorded and records sent to the national Atlas project. On arrival we were met by large numbers of Noisy and Little Friarbirds, which were probably on migration, and a huge mixed flock of woodswallows, mostly Whitebrowed, with a few Masked and Dusky, and Rufous Songlarks calling briskly. We spent some time looking in an area where a pair of Regent Honeyeaters had been seen in the previous fortnight, but none were around. A small flock of Musk Lorikeets flew by, there was an interesting sighting of a male White-winged Triller in eclipse plumage, and we had several sightings of Superb Parrots flying in and out of the forest. In fact, it was a day of Superb Parrots - we saw them flying over Wallendbeen, in and around Jindalee and a couple of flocks on the way home.
We atlassed the regular 2-ha site where Brown Treecreepers were fairly active and Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters around the wattles, then walked along the edge of the forest getting a good view of a Mistletoebird, and then back along the drier ridge, which was fairly quiet. Lunch was at East Jindalee forest, where an antechinus in a rotting log kept Sue entertained and the group found an obliging male Red-capped Robin. We had a quick look (with owner permission) at a private block next to the forest which has only been lightly grazed and quickly found three orchid species [Caladenia, Diuris (Donkey Orchid) and Glossodia (Waxlip orchid)]. Birds were very quiet there though. Just before we left, some of the group saw more Superb Parrots which had been feeding in a flowering eucalypt and I managed ta get stung by a bee and opened the first aid kit for the first time on a COG trip!
Jenny Bounds