West Victoria Mallee (and both, only "Mallee" named birds, as lifers!)
In an Eggshell:
Big Zigzag bird species count: 395 (+4 this week)
Big Zigzag bird families count: 81 (+0 this week: )
Big Zigzag Lifers: 79 (+4 this week: Chestnut Quail-thrush, Mallee Emu wren, Pink Cockatoo, Malleefowl)
Campsite Lifers 19 (+0 this week)
Big Zigzag New for Australia list: 109 (+4 this week)
eBird days of checklist streak: 138
Week’s special milestones: Clean-up genus Stipiturus (Emuwren), Clean-up Megapods of Australia
Bird(s) of the Week
A warm Victorian welcome with Chestnut Quail-thrush (Cinclosoma castanotum) at Hattah – Kulkyne National Park
Pink Cockatoo (aka Major Mitchel Cockatoo) seems like an easy lifer in the right time and location. I spent a few hour in Ouyen with not much activity, but late afternoon they become the nosiest birds around
Malleefowl, the mound-builder or the Megapod of the Mallee, not easy to spot. On the right places, they seen feeding on roadsides, dangerous for them, may useful for spotting it. Thanks for Michal from Explore The Mallee from his help!
Mallee Emuwren – ticked at Hattah – Kulkyne National Park, photographed better a few days later at Murray – Sunset National Park
Non-bird image(s)
Crossing from South Australia to Victoria
Mallee landscape at Hattah – Kulkyne NP
Sunset near Ouyen, Pink Cockatoo time
Week's Key location(s)
Hattah-Kulkyne NP was the site for the first to lifers: Chestnut Quail-thrush & Mallee Emuwren. Striped Grasswren was seen as well. I spent most of the time on Nowingi trail.
On the 2 evenings I was in Ouyen, Pink Cockatoos seen west and north to Blackburn Park. During the day could not find them.
Seems that the best way to see Malleefowl is when the feed on roadsides as Hopetoun Walpeup Rd. May a better option is to contact
Big Zigzag Travelled so far: 16450 km (this week 990 km)