This is a long post in terms of photos included because it was a special couple of days.
We decided to take our time on the return journey after dropping our UK friends off. First night was at the Entrance. Next morning over breakfast, right beside the entrance to Tuggerah Lake, I spotted these galahs nestled in a palm. The one at the top was the only one I saw ... I did not notice the one lower left until I posted this photo here! A fitting way (as it turned out) for this journey to begin, as much I had not seen before was revealed.
We drove up the New Engalnd Highway after detouring through Cessnock and Pokolbin enjoying the sight of some grand Hunter Valley wine estates. We had booked the night at Goonoo Goonoo Station just south of Tamworth, based on strong recommendations from two sets of friends. Their recommendations proved to be sound, and we were not disappointed.
Here is the view across the Station from the "village" to the Shearer's Quarters (it is the small shed, not the very large one) where our room awaited.
Soon after settling in, I spotted this sulphur-crested cockatoo in a large gum just outside our Quarters (and it turned out, just outside it's quarters too!).
We had a fantastic dinner in their restaurant, the Glasshouse, constructed between the old shearing shed and woolstore. Here is the view, as well as another of some views through the village - just to provide some context of the beauty and serenity of the environment during our visit. A credit to their staff.
Hopefully that sets the scene for the good fortune that followed by being able to savour so many new bird sightings for me ...
On my first wander, I could hear a cacophony coming from a large red bottle-brush tree. As I approached, not just the competing bird noises became evident but also the constant movement in competition for nectar by a variety of birds. As it turned out, the first one I noticed was an old favourite from my coastal meanderings, the noisy friarbird.
Next, however was a delightful new find for me - the musk lorikeet. Once again I can only marvel at the raucous palette nature conjours for our delight. Like other lorikeets they are boisterous and aggressive, acrobatic and ever so gorgeous with the striking blue and red head markings contrasting with the more familiar green and yellow body plumage. Such a delight - and as normal with new sightings, I have included quite a few (because I just kept taking photos!). Enjoy!
When I turned around to keep wandering, I noticed movement on a grassy area off to the south. Here was another new sighting. Two adults and two young red-rumped parrots. The turquoise tones of the adult are fantastic and the "red-rump" is clear from photos of the rear view. Like other grass parrots I have experienced, they blend in so well despite this palette being much darker than other parrots I have seen.
Returning to the Quarters to get ready for dinner, this pair of galahs were playing around their hollow and the late afernoon light and cloudy sky provided a fitting backdrop. The contrast of the live branches and leaves just behind the dead branches with the hollows is also striking.
Next morning I could not resist another wander around the property. I retraced the path taken the previous evening to the restaurant. I was rewarded, not with any new birds but two lovely sightings of familier ones in very different settings than I am used to. First a crested pigeon cooing atop a shed ridge-capping; then, an eastern rosella guarding the entrance to it's hollow.
Lured once again by the cacophony in the same red bottle-brush I headed off to see what might be there this morning. Along the way I noticed a small flock of swallows on the ridge-capping being overseen by a magpie atop one of the chimneys.
In the red bottle-brush I spotted this little honeyeater. Initially I thought it to be a brown honeyeater, but on closer inspection the little white spot behind the eye is not present. Searching my bird guide I believe it may be a white-plumed honeyeater (in which case it is yet another new sighting). I will claim it, despite none of the photos offering a clear pose to check, but the two included do show the delightful tones and acrobatic abilities.
And of course, driving the cacophony were the musk lorikeets!
Wending my way back to the Quarters to ready ourselves for departure, there remained a few more treats for me. First up this magnificent pair of eastern rosellas showed off their mating abilities in full view - how fortunate was I to witness this. Not hard to tell which one is the male (just look how vibrant the plumage is)!
Next up was this nankeen kestrel scanning the paddocks from on high in search of any prey lurking in the grasses. Among this sequence I spotted a small roaming flock of common starlings preening on a nearby yard fence.
Finally for our visit to the Station, here is a sequnce of the red rumped parrot parent and the young ones - grazing and having a drink at the trough. Ah, life on the farm!
What a privilege this visit has afforded.
Our next night was in Tenterfield and after brunch and a wander around town, we followed the advice of a shop-owner and headed off to admire the view from Mount Mackenzie lookout. Quite the panorama and certainly worth the detour.
While we were there, a familiar nearby chirp of a rosella led me back along the road a little way. Up in the gum I was rewarded with my first clear sighting & photo opportunity of the crimson rosella - and what a sighting it was! A young one pleading with mum for lunch. I share here three different "pleads" and three different regurgitations rewarding the persistence of the young one.
What a way to end this post.
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