Excursion 4: Birding around Toora & Foster area Reserves

SEANA Spring 2023 Camp

We picked up a couple of people who needed a lift to the Toora bird hide and headed down with much anticipation as Rohan had reported that the tide was just on the turn to go out and the shorebirds would be waiting for us. Sure enough, they were waiting for us, as were 4 other birders who had arrived at 7am. They reported seeing a Spotted Crake which the rest of us will have to go back to find. There was a large flock of waders, with 80 Bar-tailed Godwit and 1 Red Knot being the highlights. Rohan reported that the hide had been built by the Wron Wron prisoners but the plaque had been souvenired. Lots of bush birds were seen around the area, and a kingfisher was spotted on a power line from our cars but we weren’t able to identify it.

We moved on to Foster where the hunt for the Scarlet Honeyeaters began. We started at the famous golden, nectar producing, melaleuca where Rohan used to live, and heard the Scarlett Honeyeater but alas did not see it. We moved on to morning tea at the rotunda in town, having had the will to go past the Farmer’s Market. Morning tea morphed into lunch as folk enjoyed the bakery, opportunity shops and historical display delights of Foster. Then the hunt for the Scarlet Honeyeater progressed to the Cody Gully and Ophir Hill walks which took us 2 hours and 43 minutes to do, a distance of 2.33 km at a speed of 0.8 km/h. There was a lot to see, including the Scarlet Honeyeater, Brown-headed Honeyeater and a beautiful display of bird orchids.

Thanks so much to Rohan for “showing his backyard” with his ever-reliable patience, enthusiasm, expertise and humour.

Wendy Davies