Day 7 Chiltern Sat 23 October

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This was the first (official) day of the HAMBOCA Chiltern camp outing; we meet outside my cabin at 8.30am all up and ready to go even though it was over cast and a little drizzlerly, but it was quite mild and there was no wind. Sue and I muttered that this was typical beautiful day the day before get everyone here and it’s a bit damp. But a little inclement weather never holds a dedicated (deranged!) birder back. The fourteen members and two guests set of to Bartley’s Paddock our first stop for the day, well Sue tried to the lead group but missed the turn, so when Jane, AM and I got there, there was no one to be seen! But we waited for them. A light drizzle fell most of the morning at Bartley’s which did not bother us or the birds, we counted 36 species before smoko! Amongst these were many nesting/breeding birds; those with nests were the Mistletoe Bird (it had fledged the next day when some members went back), White-throated Gerygone, Willy Wagtail and the Turquoise Parrots where looking in a hollow stump.
After smoko we went to walk down past the ruins of the brewery at Bartley’s Block but the drizzle had turned into serious rain. So an early lunch was called, back at the caravan park under the BBQ shelter. A text message was sent to Charlotte to inform her of the change of plan, she and Frank where to meet us at Honeyeater Dam for lunch as they arrived from their overnight stop in Bendigo.
During lunch a whisper went around the group that the rain appeared to be clearing and so it did. So a quick change into dry socks for some and trousers for others, and with collecting Charlotte at the entrance to caravan park, we all headed south under the freeway to Honeyeater Dam. At the dam we were greeted by the noisy chuckling, gurgling and crackling of the Little and Noisy Friarbirds. Some of the Red Box Gums where in flower and the dominate honeyeaters where busy playing ‘keeping offs’ with anything else that may have wanted to feed in ‘their’ tree. We had a short walk around the dam, looking at the Sacred Kingfishers hollow Sue and Neville had found the previous day. Then some of us went up to the start of White Gum Walk strolling along the road looking at both flowers and birds to return to the car park for afternoon tea. Where we sat around chatting, watching and photographing the wattlebirds build a nest and kingfishers excavate a hollow made a pleasant finish to the day’s activities.
Maryann and I only got ‘miss placed’ when we turned towards Albury not Chiltern when we left the road into Honeyeater Dam. Maryann got her GPS out punched in Chiltern and we turned around! She dropped me off at the cabin and went to look at the National Trust house that was open. I threw off my shoes, put some washing on, slipped on some thongs and went down to the IGA for more pegs, where I saw Maryann twice on, on two different roads, on her trip around town as she tried to find the hotel. She says it’s only in the country that she has trouble with directions she is fine in Melbourne and Camberwell.
The evening meal was held at the Chiltern Tavern, where the 18 of us took up most of the dinning space for the night. And made all the noise! My meal was excellent and I only left one small bite behind! The waitress had warned us that they were substantial meals and true to country pubs reputations they were. I had a veal schnitzel with bacon, mushroom, onion, BBQ sauce and cheese topping, salad and chips.

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Photos

Honeyeater Dam
Off to see the Kingfishers