There was something for everyone at this year's Easter campout -- fine weather and welcome rain, town and country, birds and mammals, giant frogs, more than a few birds, abounding history, flat plains and gorge dissected mountain, drylands and of course the obligatory swamp and sewerage ponds (the 'of course' since Sue Lashko was our leader).
17 or so members and friends stayed at the campground to the west of Weddin Mountain National Park. (This is on the opposite side of the park from the Holy Camp area where banders often visit). The campground is at the base of the mountain looking directly up to Ben Hall's cave, a view offering some encouragement to Margaret to share her knowledge and enthusiasm for this apparently misunderstood and even victimised bushranger.
We set up a comfortable camp with large pit fire, good loos, plenty of space and predominantly good neighbours. Walking sorties from base camp included several around the flat country to the west, starting along the edge where the Callitris/Eucalyptus forest meets the grazing land. Highlights included Turquoise Parrots, Sittellas, Red-capped Robins, Striped and Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters, unidentified flushed Quail (never seen again) and all the expected dry-country cooperative breeders: Grey-crowned and White-browed Babblers, Apostlebirds and Choughs.
More history was just down the track at Seaton's Farm, not far past the main Apostlebird and Babbler hangout. Jim Seaton and his wife set up the farm during the other depression and the well preserved remains are an insightful memorial to the traditional can-do farming spirit. It must have been a rugged time as Jim built very significant buildings using little but flattened corrugated iron, timber and wire. Even an underground storm shelter. Not to mention a beautifully constructed deep well, three km of handmade 1.8m high kangaroo-proof fencing and many sheds, all now nicely rustic as the various pieces of corrugated iron have weathered at different rates into different colours. Plus highly modified farm machinery ... and more. I was musing at one point that they both must have been buggered by sunset, but he then apparently spent his evenings making his own chain wire for the fencing next day.
Other walks headed up the gorges into the mountain. The first took us past the unknown raptor seen high on the opposite cliff perched in a crevice, of which those with keener eyesight and better binoculars could just make out the eye colour. Very useful info indeed when, after much discussion, it turned out to be a rock. At the end of this walk we did confront a perched young Wedge-tailed eagle and got spectacular close views as s/he lumbered out past us through the gorge, at that point quite narrow.
The second of our gorge walks provided good views of bush birds including Mistletoebirds, Golden and Rufous Whistlers, Yellow Thornbills, Double-barred and Red-browed Finches as well as a couple of Swamp Wallabies. The top opened out to impressive clifftop views across the agricultural plains and a slightly surprising dozen or more emus grazing below. On the return part of our circular walk we stumbled across a Common Bronzewing sitting on its rickety nest just above our heads and later some even closer views of a relatively un-shy Swamp Wallaby.
Our first car outing south to Bimbi State Forest was wet but enjoyable and populated by parrots including Bluebonnets, Australian (Mallee) Ringnecks and Cockatiels. A longer trip in fine weather took in Holy Camp, Grenfell Sewerage Works, the comparatively bird-free Company Dam and finally The Railway Pub at Grenfell. After the pub a minority stayed longer at Grenfell for The More Complete Historic Tour and managed to see Henry Lawson's birthplace and some Blue-faced Honeyeaters. Meanwhile the majority en-route back to camp were treated to a spectacular meeting of raptors on Back Piney Range Road. At the one location were great views of Black Falcon, Brown Falcon, Brown Goshawk, Black-shouldered Kite and Nankeen Kestrel. This was not far from where we'd seen at least five Wedge-tailed Eagles 'interacting' earlier in the day. One night stroll and some ad-hoc insomniacal monitoring picked up calls of Boobook, Owlet-nightjar and Bush Stone-curlew around camp. Also on the night walk were a Giant Banjo Frog (I prefer the name Giant Pobblebonk but not sure which is the official common name) and a Common Spadefoot Toad aka Painted Burrowing Frog.
Our last outing was a tour through Forbes and Gum Swamp on the way home. Special treats included Pink-eared Ducks with 5 offspring and an obliging Peregrine that allowed everyone a superb view through the scope as well as considerable experimentation in the art of digiscoping - taking variably good photos with the camera held directly against the scope eyepiece.
All up 100 species of birds for the four days. I forgot to mention that I managed to see my FIRST Barn Owl on the way in, in the same area as more Giant Pobblebonks were risking it by crossing the road. Thanks to Sue and her advisers for a most enjoyable long weekend.
— Julian Robinson