Winmalee, Blue Mountains NP (12th February '06)

Winmalee is a wee place near Springwood on the east side of the Blue Mountains. There is a great walk on the edge of town which takes in Shaws Ridge, a typical Blue Mountains sandstone ridge, and also descends into the wet sclerophyll gully of the Blue Gum Swamp Creek. The loop is a gentle 10 km and unlike most walks in the Blue Mountains, there are no really steep sections to haul yourself up.

Shaws Ridge

This place is absolutely packed with birds especially down next to the creek! Nothing too unusual on this occasion but large flocks of thornbills, silvereye and honeyeaters (New Holland, Yellow-faced and Spinebills mainly). Loads of fantails (both Grey and Rufous). Golden whistlers, whipbirds and numerous lorikeets (Rainbow), cockatoos (Sulfur-crested) and rosellas (Crimson).

Looking down into the Blue Gum Swamp Creek gully

Unfortunately the bird-watching was brought to a rather abrupt halt by a scary snake incident. I didn't see him until I was only a couple of metres away when he uncoiled from the edge of the track and, luckily for me, headed off into the bush. Normally skulking birds like the Eastern whipbird were leaping up onto very exposed perches as he passed by. After consultation with the J-Rod, our resident herpetologist, it was most certainly a Tiger Snake, I reckon just over a metre long, and if I had stood on him, very fatal! Now the fact I never saw him until he moved got me a bit nervous and then I couldn't take my eyes off the leaf litter so looking up in the trees for birds didn't really work. Especially when I then disturbed a skink a little further down the track which took off with much rustling. By this time I was a wobbly mess so I apologise for the lack of photos and bird observations from then on. There were much fewer birds back up on the ridge anyway (at least I think there were!). A lovely walk though and when I'm over the emotional trauma, I'll be back.

Target bird: Pilotbird (negative)

Catch the pigeon: None!!!

Roadkill Strike Assessment: Minimal (Mountain bikers)