Capertee Valley

Just over an hour away from Lithgow was the Capertee Valley, which is one of those iconic birding sites you just have to visit if your in the area....

Capertee Valley

After picking up some food in a nearby gas station we drove into the valley and quickly began nailing plenty of new birds just along the road. A line of trees and fence posts in one small area gave us White-plumed Honeyeater, Jacky Winter, Buff-rumped Thornbill, Black-faced Cuckooshrike, Grey Shrike-Thrush, Speckled Warbler, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Little Friarbird, Yellow Thornbill, Silver-eye, a flyover Wedge-tailed Eagle, and White-throated Gerygone. Wow!

Buff-rumped Thornbill

Yellow-rumped Thornbill

Yellow Thornbill

We drove further along and stopped on the road again when we saw some movement, which actually turned out to be a large flock of stunning White-browed Woodswallows. There were probably 50 - 100 present and I tried really hard to get a decent photo but they were not confiding at all. Also at the same spot was Fuscous Honeyeater, a flock of Plum-headed Finches, and a Turquoise Parrot flew through (but I missed that).

White-browed Woodswallow

Fuscous Honeyeater

Along this route we also saw Red-necked Wallaby and Eastern Grey Kangaroos as well. Surreal! Oh, and also a flock of White-winged Chough, Noisy Miner and Common Bronzewing. The rest of the day was spent stopping anywhere we saw a bird or to check out some pools, or just to take a stroll. We were constantly hampered by a really strong wind that no doubt cost us any chance of Regent Honeyeater and a few other birds, but on the whole we did quite well. 

Notable goodies included Chestnut Teal, Black-fronted Dotterel, Latham's Snipe, Diamond Firetail, Brown Falcon, Nankeen Kestrel, Australian Pipit, Pallid Cuckoo, Dusky Woodswallow, Little Corella, flocks of Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Crested Pigeon, Red-browed Finch, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, White-naped Honeyeater, Horsefield's Bronze Cuckoo, Double-barred Finch and a Wombat!

Australian Pipit

Pallid Cuckoo

Crested Pigeon

Fan-tailed Cuckoo

Horsefield's Bronze Cuckoo

Little Corella 

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

We ended the day at Genowlan Bridge ticking Hooded Robin, Restless Flycatcher, Brown Creeper, and Pied and Grey Butcherbird on the drive out. And from here it took over 3 hours to drive back to our hotel in Sydney. 

Restless Flycatcher