Steve Happ Photography

Bumbang Island

6th February 2010.

It has been raining for about three days and the wind has swung around to the south so it has become cold as well. I even had the doona on me all night. Its weird, the weather, it goes from very hot to very cold, and it will probably go back to very hot again in a couple of days. This morning I did not feel like getting out of bed, but eventually I got out, had breakfast and headed up river about a couple of kilometers from Robinvale to Bumbang Island. You could not actually get across to the island but I stayed on this side and walked along the bank. There were quite a few house boats tied up along the river, and there was one particularly old one that had a paddle wheel driving it. The dog from that house boat came out and spent the time with me.

There were quite a few Yellow Rosellas around, who seemed to be flying in and out of the grape vines. The guns were going off to scare away birds, but they still seemed to be flying in and out without worrying too much. A bunch of Welcome Swallows were darting around over the water and the Yellow Thornbills were twittering away madly in the trees lining the river bank. There was not a lot of bird action around but this mob of Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike were having a bit of fun in the dead trees. This is a juvenile one. They have the black mask across the eyes and the adults have a full black face going right around the eyes from forehead to chest.

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, juvenile (Coracina novaehollandiae)

Down on the corner of the island bend, a Whistling Kite flew over me, soared across the river and came back towards me. He seemed to check me out for a little while, but was not really interested. Mostly I have seen Whistling Kites along the Murray River, and a pair of Australian Hobby, but that has been it for raptors.

Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus)

As I was going back to the car, a pair of speedboats came racing by, towing the racing skiers behind them. They must have been practicing for some races that are coming up next month.

Robinvale bird list 6/2/10

Yellow Rosella
Red-rumped Parrot
Galah
Noisy Miner
Kookaburra
Blue-faced Honeyeater
Laughing Kookaburra
Australian Wood Duck
Pacific Black Duck
Little Black Cormorant
Little Pied Cormorant
Willy Wagtail
Welcome Swallow
Crested Pigeon
Yellow Thornbill
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Australian Magpie
Magpie-lark
Whistling Kite