Report - Southern Goorooyarroo NR Woodland Survey (Thu 22 September 2005)

Dave and Kathy Cook and I carried out the September survey at the southern end of Goorooyarroo on a very pleasant spring morning. Birds were plentiful although we didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Small groups of Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, with a few White-naped Honeyeaters, were constantly passing through on their southward migration. A few migrants had arrived in good numbers, notably Noisy Friarbirds and Western Gerygones.

Western Gerygone (Gerygone fusca). Photo courtesy David Cook

A single White-throated Gerygone was heard, but Western Gerygones were numerous and vociferous. A couple of Rufous Whistlers were noted, but rather surprisingly there was no sign of Olive-backed Orioles. The only cuckoo recorded was a distant calling Pallid. Other species included Speckled Warbler, Varied Sittella and Mistletoebirds. There was no sign of the lone Brown Treecreeper that haunts (or used to?) the far southern end of the reserve. There was a fair bit of breeding activity noted including active nests of Striated and Buff-rumped Thornbills and White-winged Chough. Wildlife other than birds included four species of frogs and a Shingleback skink. In all 47 species of bird were recorded, compared to 53 for the equivalent survey last year.

Steve Holliday

Buff-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza reguloides). Photo courtesy David Cook