A cave, some lunch and many songlarks

September 2007 Trip Report #17

Weddin Mountains New South Wales

We headed off south from Forbes for the Weddin Mountains National Park. We had also visited this park three years ago and had good memories of this lovely spot. I remember though that the birding was a little on the slow side (meaning: I didn’t see much).

On the drive in to the picnic and camping ground we saw two Emus and heard quite a few Brown Songlarks in full song. Eastern Rosellas flew across in front of the car and Galahs flew overhead. White-winged Choughs greeted our arrival with much calling.

Weddin Mountains NP Picnic ground

We pulled into a parking bay and prepared to have our lunch. An Australian Raven landed in the tree above us, but when he realised we were not about to share our lunch he flew off before I could get a photo. I realised then that I have some good photos of Little Ravens, the species common around home, but I do not yet have any shots of its larger cousin. Patience.

Apostlebirds were busy feeding on the ground just south of our lunch spot. After our lunch, a camper came over to our picnic table and talked to us for some twenty minutes. Time seemed to be getting away from us and we still wanted to visit another national park further east, so we didn’t go for a walk after lunch.

As we left the park our departure was delayed by some twenty minutes. The predominantly pine forested area along the access track seemed to suddenly fill with bird song. Many Brown Songlarks were calling. My wife saw some flowers she wanted to investigate. I took a nice shot of a male Red-capped Robin. A White-winged Triller also joined in the chorus along with some more Choughs, a Rufous Whistler, a Grey Fantail who could barely be heard and a Brown Falcon glided overhead sending the local Noisy Miners into a frenzy of alarm calls.

Red-capped Robin (male)

And to crown it all off, a majestic Wedge-tailed Eagle soared high overhead.

It was a lunch break to remember.

And the cave? High up on the cliff face above the campsite and picnic grounds is a cave. Infamous bushranger Ben Hall reputedly used this as his hideaway.

Hideaway cave of bushranger Ben Hall