Day 19 Wedderburn Thur 4th Nov

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After going to bed at 11.30pm (dam that embarrassing body’s show!!) because I was finishing off a couple blogs. I did not get out of bed until 9.30-10.00am. It was really nice not to put in ear plugs for the first time; this caravan park at Wedderburn is not beside a major freeway or highway like Chiltern on the Hume Freeway or Murray Valley Highway at Gunbower. However it does seem to be under a major flight path.
So for the morning or what was left of it, I did some domestic duties (cloths washing). And while I waited for each load to finish I watched the antics of the local White-wing Cough family (think Meerkats in bird form). They have about three youngsters with them, which is keeping all members very busy hunting around the park moving leaf litter, bark and hole digging. They have an uneasy relationship with the local magpie gang around campers hand outs, just like with the Magpie Larks at home neither will back down!
I made up the poppy seed roll from yesterday with ham and cheese and on the way through Wedderburn to Wychitella Conservation Reserve, I stopped for the paper and Danish from the local grocer come baker. Wychitella Skinners Flat Block, is Box Woodland in the south and west. The eastern half is mallee vegetation this is where I stopped first. The road in was a pit tricky, 44 not 2 wheel, but I only went a very little way in to a turn around. The veg was very reminiscent of Little Desert but on more rocky ground (lots of old and new fossicking signs). The bird life was a bit thin but what birds I did see were very nice! Golden Whistler, full colour, Variegated Fairy-wren family, him looking splendid and two Shy Heathwrens, who were not that shy! There was also a honeyeater that nearly had me tricked but I worked out it was a recently fledged White-eared Honeyeater (see pic). I walked for about an hour at this spot and then moved down towards Wedderburn into the Box Woodland area. I had to walk in quite a way, past Blue Mallee harvest areas into an area of Yellow Gum and Red Gum before hitting a hot spot of bird activity. I’m only guessing the tree types here, it’s what they looked like to me, forgot to bring a plant ID book! This stroll was for an hour as well.
By now it was about 4pm and I was thinking of were to have my cuppa and Danish. So a drive towards Charlton turned into a stop at Charlton. At the bird photo workshop they had suggested using a portable HD device as your ‘negative’ storage unit. I had meant to get one at Kerang but forgot to, after asking at the Wedderburn PO if they sold them I found out Charlton had a computer store. So after walking past it the first time! I went in and purchased a 500 gb HD. Then I went down the local park beside the Avoca River for my cuppa and excellent Danish were I meet a local dog who sat at my feet thinking I would share it with him. Every time I went to take a photo he would rush off and then come back as I took another bit, obviously camera shy! When he finally left left a couple of magpies turned up! But they found the crumbs a bit dry.

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Photos

Pioner Caravan Park, Wedderburn
Haven for prospecters and White-wing Cough

Pioner Caravan Park
some of the excapee botanical garden trees in back ground

The Boat On Wheels!
hands up who wants one

Stummy-tailed Lizards
'what you looking at?'

White-eared Honeyeater
fledgeling

second walk
Blue Oil Mallee crop beside track