Glendinning Bird Camp, Grampians, November 2012

A long, long weekend including the Melbourne Cup holiday provided plenty of opportunities for birding and relaxation in and around the Glendinning public campsite beside Rocklands Reservoir, the Grampians, western Victoria. Facilities were good - much better than this! We enjoyed roaming around working farm properties (keeping well away from the electrified fences!), learning about sustainable farming practices and visiting interesting woodland areas with birding experts sharing their extensive knowledge. The fresh air, mild weather and home-style cooking were most enjoyable as was falling asleep to the sounds of distant (and not-so-distant) calls of southern boobook, an experience quite out of the ordinary.

Highlight was a visit to Claude Austin State Forest where hooded robin, speckled warbler, a pair of nesting painted honeyeater and a male tawny frogmouth and youngster on the nest were observed. A few especially dedicated birders also were greatly pleased to report seeing four painted snipe at a wetland we visited, after most observers had returned prematurely to the meeting area. Close to 150 bird species were recorded over the five days of the camp, a very creditable result indeed! "Lifers" for me were southern whiteface, painted honeyeater and fuscous honeyeater. 

There were many non-bird highlights, such as seeing this echidna foraging for food and this old, but functional bridge.