Steve Happ Photography

Murray River – Robinvale

This morning I drove about 2 kilometres down stream from the bridge across the Murray River at Robinvale and just kept walking downstream from there. There were quite few birds around when I got started. Mainly Brown Thornbills and a solitary Sacred Kingfisher. This is a juvenile White-winged Triller I think. If I got it wrong please let me know.

White-winged Triller (Lalage tricolor)

I headed inland a bit away from the river at one stage. It was dry sort of mallee country with low trees, mainly grey box type of trees. A big mob of about twenty White-winged Choughs came hopping across the forest floor. They are very funny the way they move across the ground. There were also lots of Brown Treecreeper. They seem to inhabit forests with trees that are a bit scaly, like the stringy barks and the grey box.

I kept walking and walking along the banks of the Murray River, hoping to get a look at the Euston Weir, but I just never did see it. There must be a massive bend in the river there. There was a good looking swampy patch over the other side of the river, but I do not know how to get to it. I will try another day. This Murray River is massive. I cannot even begin to comprehend the size of it. And the flood plain is just covered with millions of hectares of agriculture. Its mind-bogglingly immense.

When I got back to camp a pair of Red-rumped Parrots were feeding right near my camp, so I had to get the camera out and lay on the ground to get some low angle shots. I like this one the best.

Red-rumped Parrot (Psephotus haematonotous)

Robinvale Bird List 3/2/10

Brown Thornbill
Yellow Rosella
Sacred Kingfisher
Brown Treecreeper
White-winged Chough
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Australian Wood Duck
Whistling Kite
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Australian Magpie
Willy Wagtail
White-winged Triller
Little Pied Cormorant
Darter
Crested Pigeon
Magpie-lark
Purple Swamphen