Great Birding Moments # 21 Splendid Wren
Lowan Conservation Park
A few days ago we went to visit Lowan Conservation Park, a relatively small patch of mallee scrub about 40 minutes drive north east of our home in Murray Bridge. This park can be very rewarding to the birder – or it can be extremely frustrating. It usually depends on what trees and bushes are in flower.
We arrived mid afternoon in bright sunshine with a gentle south westerly keeping conditions pleasant. We drove slowly through to a nice spot in about the middle of the park for an afternoon cuppa. As we stopped there were about 150 Dusky Woodswallows overhead, their lovely calls filling the sky. Within minutes they had moved on. (For a photo of a Dusky Woodswallow taken elsewhere click here and scroll down the page.)
All else was fairly quiet. A few Weebills called nearby and a Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater called a distance away. I could also hear a Magpie calling and a Grey Shrike-thrush called somewhere in the scrub nearby. During the twenty minutes break for our cuppa we didn’t see a bird. I had been hopeful of seeing a Chestnut Quail-thrush because we parked a few metres from where I had seen two of them on a previous visit. No luck there.
We drove very slowly back towards the entrance gate but stopped a short distance from it so Corinne could take a photo of some plants. To see the photos click here and here and here.
While she was taking the photos I wandered off into the scrub for about thirty metres. A sudden flash of colour in the low bushes nearby attracted my attention. For about ten seconds I had a great view of a male Splendid Fairy-wren in full breeding plumage. This has to be one of Australia’s most beautiful birds. I’ve only managed to see one on a few occasions. This area is one fairly reliable spot to observe this species.
The excitement of this sighting was shattered a little when I realised that my camera was in the car! By the time I’d collected the camera it had flown elsewhere and it wasn’t calling, so I couldn’t track it down. I tried to attract it by making kissing sounds (this usually works with wrens) but to no avail. So I haven’t a photo to show off. Instead you will have to be content with someone else’s photos here.
UPDATE: on my recent holiday in New South Wales I managed to get some reasonable photos of this beautiful species. Check out “A Splendid Result”
This post was updated on July 6th 2015.
Hi Trevor, interesting about the Splendid seen in Lowan, I visit the park regularly and have yet to see one,yet they are common in nearby areas particularly off ther Glenbur Road,odd that they dont seem common in Lowan itself ?
As you suggest birding in Lowan can be hit and miss, often I have trudged through there and seen very little, and then suddenly come across large numbers of various birds.
This is a list of birds I have photographed in Lowan and suggested population
Jacky Winter….V common
Red-capped Robin….scarce
White-eared Honeyeaters…common
Sitellas…common
Spotted pardalote…occassional
Striated paralotes…V common
Brown-headed honeyeater…V common
Southern Scrub Robin…patchy
Spiny-cheek Honey eaters…V common
Restless Flycather….patchy
Hooded Robin….occassional
Chestnut Quail-thrush…patchy
Owlet Nightjar…V common
Spotted Nightjar…common seasonally
Tawny Frogmouths….common
Yellow-plumed Honeyeaters…V common
Crested Bellbird…common
Striped Honeyeater….scarce
Grey Butcherbird…common
White-browed babbler…common
White-browed woodswallow…common seasonally
Dusky Woodswallow…seasonally common
White-winged chough….. common
Mulga parrot….comon
Mallee Ringneck…common
Regent parrot….scarce
Corella….common
Galah…common
Raven…common
Noisy Miners and YT miners….occassional
White-plumed Honeaters…..occ
Rufous Whistler….occassional
Golden Whistlers…occassional
Various Thornbills/Weebills…common
Brown Falcon….common
Nankeen Kestrel…common
Thanks for your comments, Colin. Quite a good list you have there. I have also seen the Splendid Wren on several occasions just across the road from the entrance gate. I usually check out that spot on every visit.
Thanks for replying Trevor, have often thought about checking out the other side of the road, will do next time. I see also there is a new gate erected on the western track leading in, I don’t remember seeing it before. It was closed when I got there on Sunday, not locked, just secured loosely with a clip. I wonder if this means it may be locked from time to time, perhaps always…..I hope not, I enjoy the peace and quiet going into Lowan CP and thinking of heading up there again this weekend coming and over nighting?