The five BirdLife members approaching Lake Broadwater Conservation Park on Saturday 23 July 2022 wondered if they would even reach the site, given the numerous spots around Dalby where water was running beside or over the roads. However, despite flooded tracks around the southern side of the lake, the group was able to access several areas in the park and enjoyed the fine weather and birding at this special place.
Four areas were surveyed using the standardised 2 ha, 20 minute area search, all being ‘new’ sites in the north-west of the park. Habitat was an interesting mix of tree species including ironbark, box, brigalow (some fine old specimens), she-oak and/or red gum, over moderately dense shrubland dominated by wilga, and tussock grass of variable density and height. Other species recorded in the north-west as well as birds found in a brief area search near the southern bird hide, were documented in the ‘500m radius area search’ category.
Of the 60 bird species listed, only eight were waterbirds and there were very few individuals. Doubtless this was because the lake was over-full and rather turbid, with hardly any emergent wetland plants; also, the abundance of water in the region and farther inland probably had caused waterbirds to disperse widely. In the 2ha plots, the number of species ranged from nine to 17.
Although seen only briefly, a White-backed Swallow was one of the highlights for the day. Other species that generated extra attention included Rose Robin (a grey-brown bird), Jacky Winter, Western Gerygone and Inland Thornbill.
Here’s the species list for the day:
Apostlebird – Struthidea cinerea
Australasian Darter – Anhinga novaehollandiae
Australian Magpie – Gymnorhina tibicen
Australian Wood Duck – Chenonetta jubata
Black Swan – Cygnus atratus
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike – Coracina novaehollandiae
Brown Honeyeater – Lichmera indistincta
Cockatiel – Nymphicus hollandicus
Double-barred Finch – Taeniopygia bichenovii
Dusky Moorhen – Gallinula tenebrosa
Eastern Yellow Robin – Eopsaltria australis
Galah – Eolophus roseicapilla
Golden Whistler – Pachycephala pectoralis
Great Crested Grebe – Podiceps cristatus
Grey Butcherbird – Cracticus torquatus
Grey Fantail – Rhipidura fuliginosa
Grey Shrike-thrush – Colluricincla harmonica
Grey Teal – Anas gracilis Grey-crowned
Babbler – Pomatostomus temporalis
Inland Thornbill – Acanthiza apicalis
Jacky Winter – Microeca fascinans
Laughing Kookaburra – Dacelo novaeguineae
Little Corella – Cacatua sanguinea
Little Friarbird – Philemon citreogularis
Magpie-lark – Grallina cyanoleuca
Masked Lapwing – Vanellus miles
Mistletoebird – Dicaeum hirundinaceum
Nankeen Kestrel – Falco cenchroides
Noisy Miner – Manorina melanocephala
Pacific Black Duck – Anas superciliosa
Pale-headed Rosella – Platycercus adscitus
Peaceful Dove – Geopelia placida
Pied Butcherbird – Cracticus nigrogularis
Pied Currawong – Strepera graculina
Red-browed Finch – Neochmia temporalis
Red-rumped Parrot – Psephotus haematonotus
Restless Flycatcher – Myiagra inquieta
Rose Robin – Petroica rosea
Rufous Whistler – Pachycephala rufiventris
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet – Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus
Silvereye – Zosterops lateralis
Speckled Warbler – Pyrrholaemus sagittatus
Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater – Acanthagenys rufogularis
Spotted Pardalote – Pardalotus punctatus
Striated Pardalote – Pardalotus striatus
Striped Honeyeater – Plectorhyncha lanceolata
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo – Cacatua galerita
Superb Fairy-wren – Malurus cyaneus
Torresian Crow – Corvus orru
Weebill – Smicrornis brevirostris
Welcome Swallow – Hirundo neoxena
Western Gerygone – Gerygone fusca
Whistling Kite – Haliastur sphenurus
White-backed Swallow – Cheramoeca leucosterna
White-plumed Honeyeater – Ptilotula penicillata
White-throated Treecreeper – Cormobates leucophaea
Willie Wagtail – Rhipidura leucophrys
Yellow Thornbill – Acanthiza nana
Yellow-faced Honeyeater – Caligavis chrysops
Yellow-rumped Thornbill – Acanthiza chrysorrhoa
