Day 18 Gunbower to Wedderburn Wed 3 Novemebr

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After packing up the cabin, eating breakfast and getting dressed at the same time I was ready to hit the road to Kerang and then Wedderburn (its near St Arnaud) for three nights, at 9.30am. But I had to say goodbye to the other campers who had stayed the extra night. We had tea together the night before with a bigger group but some of them had left really early so it was nice to say goodbye again to those leaving at the same time as me.
So by the time I really left it was 10.30am but it was only a short distance to drive today. First stop was morning tea at Thompson Weir on Gunbower Creek half way to Cohuna. This was a lovely spot beside the weir spillway with lignum, black box and ballart. I had chosen to stop here because during the workshop people had reported seeing Azure Kingfishers there. Well it was not until I was about to leave that I found the little birds but was unable to get a picture. They are just too fast!
I got to Kerang around 11.30am found a shady car park and had a good walk around town. Of course I found a bakery but only bought a poppy seed roll, a curry chicken pie and a coffee scroll. That was being strong too they had all sorts of yummy things in the display cases. I ate the pie on the way back to car and intended to eat the roll with some fresh ham I had bought at Safe Ways when I stopped at Leaghur State Park, 25km southeast of Kerang.
It was about 1.00pm when I arrived at the state park and found the picnic site, but I did not stay there as someone was camped in their car and it felt a little creepy sharing the area with them. I could not see them anywhere either! So I drove down the track a bit, to where it branched into an intersection and pulled over. The native grassland and black box areas in this park are lovely (where there are not weed invasions) and looked to me like a Plains Wanderer would like them. See the grassy picture to see the open well spaced grasses with lichen growing between them. High light birds here were the Diamond Firetails (about 4), Hooded Robins, hug noisy flock of White-wing Coughs and the Grey-crowned Babbles I saw as I left the park! There was also a beautiful dragon lizard on the warm quartz track as I was driving out I even got to pick it up and have good look at it.
The country side between Kerang and Wedderburn was looking superb, very healthy, green and productive. When I got closer to Wedderburn the vegetation changed to more grazing country rather than irrigated cropping or dairying. There were even paddocks of what looked like, at 90 clicks, native pasture! Wallaby and spear grass where obvious. The plains gave way to quartz hills when I got to Korong Vale and I was back amongst Victorian Box Ironbark vegetation.
I called at the Wedderburn Info Centre to collect maps and information on birding sites, they were very helpful too. The Info Centre was in an old state school like Deniliquin. I pulled into the caravan park at arvo smoko to enjoy a cuppa before popping back into town for bread for breakfast in the morning. Going to look for Mallee Fowl tommorrow.

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Photos

White-throated Treecreeper
this is a juvenile bird it has a chestnut rump and was making begging calls

White-fronted Heron
Posing for me to practice taking photos

Azure Kingfisher?
this is where it was

Comments

[Dianne]

Great photo's
Hi Sam, it sounds like you are still having a great time. The photo's are beautiful, I really like the photo of the Australian Darter. See you in a week.

[shufflewing]

Hi
thanks for leaving a comment, sometimes I wonder if anyone is reading my blog! See you on friday 12th nov, have some benches ready to move! Sam