Birding from Lameroo to Tooleybuc

2007 New South Wales trip report #3

Lameroo to Tooleybuc

This long stretch of road took us through extensive wheat farming areas. The crops were surprisingly lush despite the rather dry winter. Rain will be needed by the farmers in this area in the next two or three weeks or the crops will die.

Along this road there are some stands of mallee eucalypts and native pines. In most parts however, the road side verge is the only remnant vegetation. The bird life is surprisingly abundant despite the lack of trees.

Crested Pigeons are abundant along this stretch; I must have seen several hundred. Australian (Black Backed) Magpies are also common as are the Little Ravens. I suspect there were a few Australian Ravens in this lot, but we were pressed for time and so I didn’t stop to check them out.

At one point soon after crossing over the border into Victoria my wife insisted that I stop so that she could get some photos of some daisies on the side of the road. While stopped I could hear a Brown Songlark calling nearby. Flocks of Galahs were seen from time to time but none at the locality known as Galah. This small community now comprises several scattered farm houses and a wheat silo next to the railway siding. It was probably a thriving little town many years ago.

We stopped at Manangatang for fuel. I love the way that place name rolls off the tongue. A short drive and we were at Tooleybuc, another wonderful place name. Here we crossed the Murray River and into New South Wales, our third state of the afternoon.

Along the way I added Pied Butcherbird (three sightings), Black-faced Woodswallow and Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike.

Pied Butcherbird