Another part of the Dandenong Ranges that I have explored briefly is a section near one of the Puffing Billy Steam Train Stations – Welch Track. It is a rather steep section of the Park with a good track leading down to a rainforest gully and then merging onto other tracks. I had seen a report of a few Large Billed Scrubwrens in the area and while I looked for them I found a few other interesting birds along the way.
Crimson Rosella
Male Superb Fairy Wren
Red Browed Treecreeper – usually difficult to see as they stick to the higher canopies of very tall trees
Juvenile Powerful Owl – still with fledgling white chest feathers, and already with extremely large and lethal talons. The Powerful Owl is able to take much larger and heavier prey – a favourite being the brush tailed possum.
Even as a young Owl in daylight it had much better senses than I did – it knew when other people were coming down the track well before I did.
Welch Track Foliage and fallen tree
