Hartmann Park in Crows Nest has the reputation as one of, if not the most beautiful parks in the Toowoomba region. On a cool May morning the BSQDD group walked from Bullocky Rest, along the creek, and then into Hartmann Park.
Despite the breath-taking beauty of the area, the birding on the other hand was quite a challenge.
Three survey sites were planned in advance, two along the creek and one in Hartmann Park itself. The sites were designed and placed so as to be fully in accordance with the Birdlife guidelines, particularly in relation to the centres being at least 400 metres apart. An incidental list was kept for the whole morning as well, in order to capture any birds seen but not within the survey sites.
All up 33 species were seen – and the full list and survey sites can be seen here in birdata. Although 14 of these species were seen between the survey sites, and added to the incidental list for the whole area.
Here is all the birds we sighted, in one combined list:
| Australian King-Parrot | Alisterus scapularis |
| Australian Magpie | Gymnorhina tibicen |
| Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike | Coracina novaehollandiae |
| Brown Honeyeater | Lichmera indistincta |
| Brown Thornbill | Acanthiza pusilla |
| Dusky Moorhen | Gallinula tenebrosa |
| Eastern Spinebill | Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris |
| Golden Whistler | Pachycephala pectoralis |
| Grey Fantail | Rhipidura fuliginosa |
| Grey Shrike-thrush | Colluricincla harmonica |
| Laughing Kookaburra | Dacelo novaeguineae |
| Lewin’s Honeyeater | Meliphaga lewinii |
| Little Pied Cormorant | Microcarbo melanoleucos |
| Magpie-lark | Grallina cyanoleuca |
| Noisy Miner | Manorina melanocephala |
| Pale-headed Rosella | Platycercus adscitus |
| Pied Currawong | Strepera graculina |
| Rainbow Lorikeet | Trichoglossus moluccanus |
| Red-browed Finch | Neochmia temporalis |
| Rose Robin | Petroica rosea |
| Rufous Whistler | Pachycephala rufiventris |
| Scaly-breasted Lorikeet | Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus |
| Silvereye | Zosterops lateralis |
| Striated Thornbill | Acanthiza lineata |
| Superb Fairy-wren | Malurus cyaneus |
| Torresian Crow | Corvus orru |
| White-browed Scrubwren | Sericornis frontalis |
| White-throated Honeyeater | Melithreptus albogularis |
| White-throated Treecreeper | Cormobates leucophaea |
| Willie Wagtail | Rhipidura leucophrys |
| Yellow Thornbill | Acanthiza nana |
| Yellow-faced Honeyeater | Caligavis chrysops |
| Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo | Zanda funereus |
The highlight of the day was two Rose robins along the creek side at the end of the second survey site. And it was this area that yielded the most birds, despite much suitable habitat being seen on the whole day.
The darth of birds, especially in Hartmann, is really quite troubling. One on hand it can be seen that a lot of habitat is available and waiting to be exploited, but on the other hand why isn’t it already being exploited? Surely in a large area over a long period of time, all available habitats and niches will be filled? This area has been geologically stable and in its current topography for millions of years. The spasmodic distribution of birds throughout it is quite possibly due to disturbances created by humans, firstly 60,000 years ago approximately and then in the last 250 years. It is a trend that does not show any signs of abating.
