Report - Tarcutta/West of Cootamundra Area Atlassing Campout - Leeton Area (Sat 30 September - Mon 2 October 2000)

Part 1

Great camp site, wonderful wetland, marvellous mallee and fantastic forest. Everybody got so bored of Superb Parrots engaging in courtship feeding and zooming around the camp site that in the end no one paid them any attention. Rain had filled the nearby billabong and we camped on a sandhill just off the Murrumbidgee River in a stand of big old River Red Gums. It was really marvellous to see so many gnarled old trees full of hollows, but it was hard to see the little birds in the canopy if you’re not that good with calls. It’s thrilling to see the older growth when you’re used to the Canberra re-growth.

Dave arranged for the crew to visit Fivebough Swamp, a wetland next to Leeton that has a Ramsar application pending (Ramsar is a city in Iran where an international convention for the protection of wetlands was signed. Ramsar sites are wetlands of international importance because they provide habitat for migrating birds, usually waders). The local Atlas coordinator, and president of the Murrumbidgee Field Naturalists, Mike Schultz, took us around the swamp and explained what the management group was doing with the $170,000 they got to put everything right. Mike is bored of seeing Australasian Bitterns so when we got to the spot, he let us go ahead and find them ourselves. Lo and behold, one appeared. The swamp is full of everything and well worth a visit if you’re going that way. Don’t be put off by its striking resemblance to a paddock.

Mike also took us to another favourite spot of his, a forest area on private land in the Brobenah Hills. The field naturalists received $400,000 to study a group of Glossy Black-Cockatoos and they are planning a major program of biodiversity assessment over the bird’s home range. The forest had Hooded Robin, cuckoos, Diamond Firetails and a heap of other good stuff that just seemed to appear from nowhere. Everyone was very grateful to Mike, and Philip Veerman presented him with a copy of Birds of Canberra Gardens, which he looked pleased to get. Mike’s parting gesture was to tell us about an active Malleefowl mound about 100-km to the north in a little patch of mallee. The patch was fantastic, but we failed to find the mound. A shame but great fun looking all the same—perhaps a little project for others to chase up in the next few weeks. David McDonald is the most meticulous trip planner and deserves a big thank you.

Adam Leavesley

Part 2

Crew at Tarcutta Hills relaxing after a day of birding. Photo by Charles Buer.Six keen "birdos", looking for a peaceful bush camp away from the hustle and bustle of suburbia (and for some, farm commitments), ventured to the Tarcutta district. Conditions were not ideal for birding, the strong, cold wind made it difficult both for birds and for atlassers who had trouble seeing birds in the mobile canopy and hearing those that did call. Fortunately it didn't rain (well just a few drops) and very fortunately, there was Jenny Bounds. What would we mere mortals do without her exceptional, acute hearing? What a difference good hearing makes to atlassing. Jenny hears the faintest squeak, provided the support crew stopped chatting and kept their noisy footwear still! As a result, we recorded a credible 73 species. The most impressionable sightings were:

Sadly, no Swift Parrots, no Turquoise Parrots, and no Regent Honeyeaters were seen, but the team did add 20 new bird species to the existing list for the reserve, a 25% increase.

The Australian Bush Heritage Fund acquired the Tarcutta Hills Reserve (433 hectares) in March 1999. It is a significant remnant White Box woodland, and now protects an area of the once common woodland vegetation community that is now severely reduced across its original range. These grassy woodlands were once widespread on the slopes and plains to the west of the Dividing Range. The core area of the reserve carries a mature cover of tree species: White Box, Blakley's Red Gum, Long-leaved Box, Grey Box, Red Box, and Acacia implexa. Red Ironbark and Snappy Gum (E. rossii) dominates the drier upper slopes.

The team found the best birding opportunities were along the timbered drainage line where the regeneration area/pasture area joined. This was particularly so on the Monday morning once conditions become more favourable. Wildflowers were prominent in the regenerating area: Caladenia Orchids were widespread; Glossodia spp. Orchids in one area were brilliant plus some small Green-hood Orchids, sprawling Stypandra Lily spp were covered in masses of flowers; and legumes and acacias all added to the beauty and colour.

The reserve is a great spot to hideaway, but sadly it is closed to the public at this stage, but it was gratifying to realise people are concerned about our diminishing box/ironbark habitat.

Steve Stephinson