Tag Archives: Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater

Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater

Posted on January 16, 2020 | 9 comments

One of my favourite birds is the Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, a colourful, gregarious bird with a very distinctive call.  It has a confiding nature and the juveniles can be quite curious. When I made a phishing noise the young one photographed below came in closer for a look at me and then started to call. The Birdlife Australia site describes the call as jerky, musical “liquid and guttural gurgling jumble”. Looking at the bristles below the ear I noticed that there are a few yellow ones – the sign of a young bird. Now that I am often carrying recording gear. I hope to record the species quite soon. I have found an area of the southern section of  Green’s Bush where I occasionally hear  the species.

Juvenile Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Greens Bush, Mornington Peninsula National Park, Vic,

Young Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Greens Bush, Mornington Peninsula National Park, Vic,

Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Greens Bush, Mornington Peninsula National Park, Vic,

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Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Greens Bush, Mornington Peninsula National Park, Vic,

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Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Greens Bush, Mornington Peninsula National Park, Vic,

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Hattah Kulkyne National Park in the Mallee country

Posted on May 1, 2017 | Leave a comment

On the recent long weekend I spent a few days camping in Hattah Kulkyne National Park. It is in the Mallee region of North Western Victoria about 500kms (5.5 hrs) drive from Melbourne. I spent a few days looking for various birds that are usually only found in the area or further inland. I had a pretty successful weekend, finding 9 lifers, 2 of which are below. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip and found the area visually quite stunning. I think I chose a good time of year to go as the temperature can get into the high 40’s C during Summer.  As well as the main lakes where the two campgrounds are located, there are a few tracks where several highly sought after birds can usually be found – Nowingi and Konardin Tracks.

Nowingi Track, Hattah Kulkyne National Park, Vic

Nowingi Track, Hattah Kulkyne National Park, Vic

Mallee Dragon, Nowingi Track, Hattah Kulkyne National Park, Vic

Mallee Dragon, Nowingi Track. The mallee has the highest concentration of lizard species in Victoria. I saw quite a few of these dragons amongst the spinifex.

Crested Bellbird, Nowingi Track, Hattah Kulkyne National Park, Vic

Lifer 343: Crested Bellbird, Nowingi Track

Konardin Track, Hattah Kulkyne National Park, Vic

Konardin Track, Hattah Kulkyne National Park – my car is tucked in the bush on the left – once I found a likely spot or heard some interesting sounds I would pull over and explore into the mallee scrub and small trees and further down the track.

Mulga Parrots, Hattah Kulkyne National Park, Vic

Mulga Parrots

Spiny Cheeked Honeyeater, Konardin Track, Hattah Kulkyne National Park, Vic

Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater

Major Mitchell Cockatoo, Konardin Track, Hattah Kulkyne National Park, Vic

Lifer 340: Major Mitchell Cockatoos, Konardin Track – inspecting a potential nest hole.

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