Category Archives: Birds

McKillops Bridge Campground

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Wednesday 22/02/2023   McKillops Bridge Campground

                                              Snowy River National Park, VICTORIA

                                              Bidawal, Gunaikurnai, Monaro Ngarigo, and Nindi-Ngudjam Ngarigu Monero Country

                                    

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies

It is a serious drive down to McKillops Bridge Campground from Little River Falls. Although this gravel road is not particularly steep it is hazardous due to the long unprotected drop-off that runs along its side and the fact it is very narrow. The signage at the top suggests you check for the presence of any other vehicles via UHF radio, which works only if both you and any other vehicle has one. We don’t, so our fingers were crossed as we proceeded along the road. Sue was on high alert for any sign on other vehicles, whilst I kept my eyes on the road ahead.

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Tidal River Campground – Tidal Overlook Circuit – Tidal Overlook – Lilly Pilly Gully Track – Mount Bishop Walking Track – Mount Bishop – Lilly Pilly Gully Boardwalk – Tidal River Track

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Thursday 9/03/2023    Tidal River Campground – Tidal Overlook Circuit – Tidal Overlook – Lilly Pilly Gully Track – Mount Bishop Walking Track – Mount Bishop – Lilly Pilly Gully Boardwalk – Tidal River Track

                                          Wilsons Promontory National Park, VICTORIA

                                          GunaiKurnai and Boonwurrung Country

                                    

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies

We departed Tidal River Campground just after 9:00am aiming to combine the couple of nearby tracks we had not yet walked in a single trip. We first crossed the Tidal River Footbridge before heading west towards Pillar Point, the weather was cool and heavily overcast with blustery winds. Looking seaward there was a lot of white water from those brisk westerlies, so we were pleased to turn and start walking more easterly up to Tidal Lookout.

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Tidal River – Norman Beach

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Tuesday 7/03/2023    Tidal River – Norman Beach 

                                        Wilsons Promontory National Park, VICTORIA

                                        GunaiKurnai and Boonwurrung Country

                                    

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies

Faced with a miserable, wet, windy day we caught up with chores and reading until the late afternoon when conditions improved enough to tempt us outside. This was a very short walk from the campground along Tidal River, onto and along Norman Beach and back to camp via the Oberon Track.

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Cunninghame Arm Footbridge – Entrance Walk – Birds Lookout – Lakes Entrance Lookout – Flagstaff Lookout – Boardwalk Track – Flagstaff Jetty

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Saturday 25/02/2023   Cunninghame Arm Footbridge – Entrance Walk – Birds Lookout – Lakes Entrance Lookout – Flagstaff Lookout – Boardwalk Track – Flagstaff Jetty

                                          Lake Tyers Coast Reserve, Lakes Entrance, VICTORIA

                                          Gunaikurnai Country

                                    

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies

After successfully completing our first The Entrance parkrun we returned to our campervan for breakfast. Shortly thereafter we were walking off again towards the esplanade crossing the Cunninghame Arm Footbridge. The Entrance walk commences just over the bridge next to the Lakes Entrance surf club. 

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Sale Game Reserve

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Monday 27/02/2023   Sale Game Reserve

                                        Sale, VICTORIA

                                       Brayakooloong Country

                                    

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies

This is just a short detour off the main road and well worth a visit. The lagoon and drier marshy areas, together with surrounding trees have created a bird paradise with lots of food and shelter. During our short visit, we got to observe a lot of birds enjoying the offerings of the area.

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Emu Bight – Lake Victoria Track – Trouser Point – Lake Killarney – Sperm Whale Head – Balfour’s Swamp – Point Wilson – Murphy Hill

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Tuesday 28/02/2023   Emu Bight – Lake Victoria Track – Trouser Point – Lake Killarney – Sperm Whale Head – Balfour’s Swamp – Point Wilson – Murphy Hill – Tree Fern Track – Murphys Swamp Track

                                         The Lakes National Park, VICTORIA

                                         Gunaikurnai Country

                                    

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies

We arrived at Emu Point Campground late yesterday only to have it all to ourselves. After dark, we ventured out to meet the nightlife with headlamps, close to camp I managed to sight four possums in trees and another much smaller creature I couldn’t catch a good enough view of to identify. It was on a branch in a tree and I had the impression it was mouse-like in size.

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Darby Beach Carpark – Tongue Point Track – Fairy Cove – Lookout Rocks – Tongue Point

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Friday 10/03/2023   Darby Beach Carpark – Tongue Point Track – Fairy Cove – Lookout Rocks – Tongue Point

                                     Wilsons Promontory National Park, VICTORIA

                                     GunaiKurnai and Boonwurrung Country

                                    

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies

We departed Darby Beach Carpark at 9:40am, appreciative of it being heavily overcast but for the first time in many days not windy or raining. We had been to Darby Beach on the Wednesday but the weather to too unpleasant for us to be tempted to start out. 

The Tongue Point Track gradually climbs from the carpark to provide a good view of the meanders of “Darby” Creek to the east as it passes through thick heath. After climbing about 90m you pass through a saddle to catch your first glimpse of Tongue Point, immediately you realise this is going to be a very scenic walk.

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Sloth’s Territory – La Fortuna

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Sunday 16/10/2022   Sloth’s Territory

                                        La Fortuna, Alajuela Province

                                        COSTA RICA

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart

This is a privately owned and run sloth sanctuary. It consists of a relatively narrow corridor of remnant rainforest through which a population of sloths can be found. We were very fortunate to have Reuben as our guide today.

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Hotel El Icaco Tortuguero – Tortuguero National Park – Tortuguero Village

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Thursday 27/10/2022   Hotel El Icaco Tortuguero – Tortuguero National Park – Tortuguero Village

                                           Tortuguero National Park

                                           Limón Province, COSTA RICA

                                                                          

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart

Following on from our guided night walk, canal canoeing and day walk over the previous 36 hours, today we opted to venture out on our own. Already fully aware that previously our guides had been the first to locate and identify 90% of our sightings we were hoping our observational skills may have improved a touch.

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Hotel El Icaco Tortuguero – Tortuguero National Park

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Wednesday 26/10/2022   Hotel El Icaco Tortuguero – Tortuguero National Park

                                               Tortuguero National Park

                                               Limón Province, COSTA RICA

Participants: Adrian (Guide), Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart

For our afternoon we had booked a two-hour guided walk in Tortuguero National Park with our guide, Adrian. We got underway at 2:00pm after Adrian managed to gain us free park entry after Sue had had numerous failed attempts at making and paying for our reservations on the National Parks website, the only method provided for doing so. It turned out their system was down.

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Rio Tortuguero Canoe Trip

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Wednesday 26/10/2022   Hotel El Icaco Tortuguero – Tortuguero Village – Rio Tortuguero – Canales del Tortuguero Rogelio Pardo Jochs

                                               Tortuguero National Park

                                              Limón Province, COSTA RICA

Participants: Adrian (Guide) Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart

Late yesterday we had been greeted by our English-speaking guide Adrian as we arrived at the carpark at La Pavona. This is the “ferry” terminal for transporting people, goods and everything else to Tortuguero 19km, 90 minute trip to the east on the Caribbean coast along Rio Suerte from La Pavona. There are dozens of these long, shallow draft, fibreglass craft constantly ferrying people back and forth along the narrow, shallow tidal canals. Masterful boatmen navigate these canals negotiating a multitude of sharp turns, shallows, concealed boulders and submerged fallen trees multiple times each day with barely the slightest of scrapes across the shallow bottom at low tide.

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Hotel El Icaco Tortuguero – Tortuguero Village

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Tuesday 25/10/2022   Hotel El Icaco Tortuguero – Tortuguero Village

                                         Tortuguero National Park

                                         Limón Province, COSTA RICA

Participants: Bernardo (Guide), Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart, two others.

Seven of us left Hotel El Icaco in Tortuguero at 6:20pm, walking out through the northern end of town and along the beachside trail on a warm, dark, moonless night. In several places, we headed off onto small barely existent sidetracks. Tonight our two-hour wildlife tour was led by Bernardo, a local professional guide. 

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