This is my last holiday bird diary post.  For this reason, I am going to indulge in a few scenery photos as well.  This post features some common waterbirds and parrots.  The beauty of the setting makes the birds appear very glamorous, like models on a photo shoot.

I’ve been to Goondiwindi several times but I never knew it was such a bird magnet.  I’ve always considered it just an overnight stopover on my journey north or south.  Goondiwindi sits on the banks of the Macintyre River where five major highways meet.  It’s got good coffee so what else did I need to know?  I recently learned that the town’s name is based on an Aboriginal word, Goonawinna, meaning the “the resting place of the birds”.  Goondi (pronounced Gundie) is in the middle of cotton country.  It is a prosperous town and at times exudes a sense of entitlement.  While this sometimes rubs me up the wrong way, I’ll never forget this resting place of the birds.

When my TL and I drove into town, we discovered to our horror that there were several events on and all the motels (of which there are many) were booked out.  So we headed for the local caravan park (worse come to worse, we could always pitch the tent) and managed to snag one of the few remaining cabins.  This caravan park must be one of the best kept secrets in Goondi.  On the fringe of the park is a billabong.  We arrived as the sun was setting and the billabong was aglow.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

The surrounding region was parched so many birds were attracted to the river and its  backwaters, including Wood ducks and Pacific Black Ducks.  There were also some Hardheads (not shown).

We were excited to see two Pink-eared ducks fly in.  They must have flown a great distance to get to the billabong because from the moment they arrived, they did not remove their heads from the water, feeding constantly.

Here’s a duck that N. Hemisphere readers will recognise:

Mallard.jpg

And how about these cheeky corellas?
They have no qualms about hanging out with the ducks.

corellas c ducks 2

Some red-rumped grass parrots also dropped by for a drink.  We have these little birds around home but they are usually difficult to spot as they blend in so well with the grass where they like to feed.  They were a bit shy and flew off when they spotted the camera pointing in their direction.  We also saw them again in the early morning, sunning themselves on a tree stump.

Red-rumped grass parrot 2Good morning

In conclusion, I wrap up my holiday bird diary with a couple of galahs (photos taken south of Goondi).

All images subject to copyright.

Good coffee aside, what a contrast the birds made to my enjoyment of this place!

Kind Regards
Tracy.

Holiday Bird Diary – Part 1
Holiday Bird Diary – Part 2
Holiday Bird Diary – Part 3
Holiday Bird Diary – Part 4

In response to the Ragtag Daily Prompt — Contrast.

48 thoughts on “Holiday Bird Diary – Part 5”

  1. What a beautiful landscape to have to shoot in. I love the birds. I have never heard of a Gallah before. What a fascinating, vibrant bird! Great photos. Thank you for sharing!

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  3. Aww – thank you again for sharing these, Tracy! The pink eared ducks are so sweet as are the grass parrots – what a colour! And it’s good to know the coffee was good too. 😉

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  7. What a great spot. And a billabong at your doorstep. What more could anyone want? I don’t recall having seen a Pink-eared duck which is a nice sighting. I don’t think I’ve been to Goondiwindi, so will have to go there on our next trip to Queensland.

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  9. This was a very informative post for me, Tracy. I only know Billabong as a sports brand of clothing here in the US. I did not know it was an actual thing. Thank you for the enlightenment! And those green parrots are beautiful!

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    1. There was no water for k’s in the surrounding region. But there was water in the Macintyre, albeit much reduced. The dam/billabong looked quite shallow. I wonder if they pump bore water into it? If not, I wouldn’t be surprised if it dries up entirely if they don’t get rain soon, Pauline. These photos were taken in August.

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