Cowra Woodland Birds News February 2023

The Cowra Woodland Birds Program conducted their summer surveys on the weekend of 11-12 February and just had enough surveyors to get to (nearly) all 90+ sites. The consensus was that bird numbers and variety were down a bit. This survey marked the first year since 2018 the project completed all four seasonal surveys. The group were keen to get an entire year of completed counts to assess the effects of the three previous years of La Nina above-average rainfall.

Highlights included: 10 Glossy Black-Cockatoos at Koorawatha Nature Reserve (the most the group has ever recorded on a survey), 30+ Turquoise Parrots on one property in the Illunie Range and another 10 on an adjacent property; again, more than recorded previously. There were also Black-chinned Honeyeaters in good numbers on a couple of properties. A local resident reported a marked decline in Little Lorikeets around Cowra in the past decade, so it was heartening to record this species on two Travelling Stock Routes.

There were also a few reports of Brown Treecreeper, Grey-crowned Babbler, Restless Flycatcher, Dusky Woodswallow and Diamond Firetail. As usual, Superb Parrots were widespread and moderately common, in stark contrast to the continuing absence of Painted Button-quail, Little Eagle, Southern Whiteface, Gilbert’s Whistler and Hooded Robin. Crested Bellbird went locally extinct shortly before the CWBP surveys commenced in 2002, and sadly it seems others are headed the same way.

Please note that the Cowra Woodland Birds Program is starting a major restoration project on cleared paddocks on one of the properties regularly surveyed. They will need willing hands to plant and water tube stock in June this year (there will be a much bigger planting effort the following year). Stay tuned for more information on the BirdLife website in the next few weeks!