Hattah Lakes

Turning east off the main highway I entered a dry and harsh landscape of low rolling sand hills, stumpy mallee scrub and little undergrowth rising from the dry, sandy soil.

It is a long time since I had been to Hattah Lakes, but the indications of vibrant bird life were a good omen.

Parrots and Cockatoos everywhere. The noise at times was amazing as flocks of Corellas wheeled around giving their loud calls. Galahs in smaller groups with a softer call were also very common and mobs of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos were raucus. Others such as Ringnecks, Regent Parrots and Bluebonnets were also in evidence, but more subdued than the others. Beautiful nevertheless.

In spite of it being in the middle of a desert, Hattah because of its lakes, has abundant birdlife. Not just the desert species, but a wide range of water birds. everything from Grey Teal with small ducklings in tow to Black Swans and Australasian Grebes.

The campsite had the usual ratbags exploiting local abundance: Choughs, Apostlebirds and Noisy miners were common and quite persistent in their search for easy picking in campers food.

Away from the water life was much quieter with fewer parrots and Cockatoos, but the scrub birds were more in evidence - birds like Emu Wrens and Chestnut-crowned Babblers moved through the scrub. Blue-faced Honeyeaters were also in evidence and an occasional Rainboe Bee-eater f;ashed by, conspicuous by its vibrant colours. Every now and then, though, the tranquility was shattered briefly as a locks of Cockatoos and Corellas wheeled above.




Small groups of Emus wandered across the clay pans and groups of Black-tailed Native Hens fled as I approached.

Spiders

Shining a torch across the ground revealed a surprising number of glittering points of light - the eyes of spiders out and about.

With care I approached one bright point and was rewarded with a good view of a large pale grey spider, its multiple eyes staring up at me.