13 August. Bomaderry Creek & Jervis Bay.
Quite by chance I discovered my random choice of town and motel for the night was right on the doorstep of a locality for Rock Warbler, the only species of bird endemic to New South Wales. As I had missed this on the cliffs of the Royal National Park, I naturally decided to spend my early morning here, at the relatively compact Bomaderry Creek. An hour of searching the boulders that hang over the creek, a reasonable mix of birds in the process, and then bingo, a pair of highly active Rock Warblers. Flitting from boulder to boulder, initially in the stream bed, but then on a crag above, these were pleasing indeed
And with that, I then resumed my planned itinerary for the day, continuing to Jervis Bay, largely on a continued quest to find Ground Parrot. Most picturesque, a mosaic of sparkling blue seas, rocky coastline and vast swathes of heathland running inland dotted by Eucalyptus woodlands. And, somewhere within these heathlands, so elusive Ground Parrots should dwell. Task for the day to locate one of these localised residents, a none-too-easy task given their preference for dense heath and reluctance to either fly or even clamber up off the ground. Tried a couple of areas in vain, then had a stomp around some of the Eucalyptus stands ...a weird crackling and splinting sound caught my ear, twelve Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos chomping giant flowerheads and sending a shower of pollen and other detritus groundward, splendid birds. Also in this area, five Satin Bowerbirds, three Bassian Thrushes, a flock of Superb Fairywrens and abundant Little Wattlebirds and Brown Thornbills.
More heathland exploration to follow, no Ground Parrots. As everywhere on these heaths, numerous New Holland Honeyeaters however, plus a couple of Southern Emu-Wrens and my only Fuscous Honeyeaters of the trip. A stroll along a beach followed, several smart Sooty Oystercatchers added, another new species, plus a couple of Australian Fur Seals in the sea.
With evening approaching and zero sign of the desired parrots, I decided to relocate to a slightly more eastern part of the bay, specifically heathland adjacent to the access road to Hyams Beach. Looked very good here - the Ground Parrots apparently favour heathland at about the ten-year stage of recovery from fire, and this is exactly what it looked like at this point. A huge area, Swamp Harriers quartering. Plotted an approximate route and set off, not in much expectation it has to be admitted. But a half hour in, from barely a few metres in front of me, a whir of wings and a blur of green, a Ground Parrot flushed!
Flew all of a hundred metres or so, then dropped back into the heathland. Circled the area trying to get views on the ground - pretty impossible given the thickness of the heath. And indeed it did prove impossible - two times more the bird flushed, each time whizzing across the heath to another patch to disappear into. But I was elated, very nice flight views of this species high on my list of priorities, stumpy face, black speckled body and all. No complaints from me, I decided against further disturbing the bird and retreated from the heath.
At Hyam Beach itself, completing a nice set of parrots for the day, about 40 Rainbow Lorikeets, two Little Lorikeets and singles of both Crimson Rosella and Australian King Parrot. And for the seventh species of the day, six Galah flying over.
As darkness gathered, took up a vantage point on the cliffs overlooking Bowen Island. Supposed to be 5000 pairs of Fairy Penguins breeding on that island, all coming ashore after dark. Possibly too early in the season for them to be back on the breeding ground, but either way not a sign did I see, carefully scanning the seas till too dark to see anything. Two Eastern Grey Kangaroos having a boxing match quite entertaining however.