On Saturday, September 16 seven members of the Gloucester Environment Group (GEG) set off to Saltwater National Park.
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The park is just south of Old Bar along the coast.
We started on the Five Islands walking track listening to birdcalls. One of the first calls was a Golden Whistler soon followed by a Lewin’s Honeyeater.
An unidentified call was heard and after Alison’s bird app came to the rescue it turned out to be a Black Faced Monarch.
The walk is along Khappinghat Creek and is scenic and flat.
There is a large Aboriginal Midden on the track and adds additional interest.
A Spangled Drongo was sighted at this site.
We were trying to find the Magenta Lilly Pilly a vulnerable tree species without success.
After an hour and a half we returned to the picnic area to have lunch.
The Headland Walking Track was next and what surprises awaited us at the lookout at the end on a high cliff face.
Whales somebody shouted. Tails flapping and other whales breaching at many points in our sight.
A dozen or so Humpback whales just happened to pass our vantage point.
While being busy looking at the multiple sightings of the whales a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins passed right below us very close to the cliff face where we were standing.
Back to the cars and on to Old Bar Estuary, a well-known bird sanctuary.
Our bird count was 27 species at this stage before our coastal walk.
We spotted several Little Terns in this successful breeding site.
All seven of us saw Eastern Curlews, Bar-tailed Godwits,Red-necked Stints in breeding plumage, White Ibis and on our return along the beach a good sighting of a Brahminy Kite.
A total of 37 species of birds were recorded.
An interesting and varied day was had by all.
The next GEG walk will be on Saturday, October 21. Please phone Kylie on 65587422 to confirm details.