Toolangi State Forest
We started our day in the Toolangi State Forest at 8.30am at the Wirrawilla Rainforest walk (off Sylvia Creek Road), this however may have been a mistake. The Wirrawilla walk takes you along a boardwalk through a cool temperate rainforest of Myrtle Beaches. The pathway is lined with giant tree ferns with a myriad of tiny mosses growing under the boardwalk, a couple of small bridges take you over the Sylvia creeks rushing waters.
Early morning on the Wirrawilla Boardwalk
Our idea was to get there early before the day trippers arrived. It was a sunny day, but little sun penetrates the thick foliage here. On arrival at the car park a couple of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos sailed overhead. Many birds such as White-throated Treecreeper, White-browed Scrubwren and Brown Thornbill could be heard but they were up in the canopy where the sunshine was and not a bird could be seen. About halfway around the track we turned right down quarry track. This lead to a higher more open area where we saw Grey Fantail, Golden Whistler, Rufous Fantail, Crescent Honeyeater and King Parrot. A Superb Lyrebird could be heard calling further down the slope. Returning by Wirrawilla to the car we saw a Lewins Honeyeater and Laughing Kookaburra in the rainforest.
We drove further along the Sylvia Creek Road to the Tanglefoot car park where we were greeted by the creaky door call of Gang Gang cockatoos, one lovely male settled in the trees above the picnic ground where we watched if for a while. Bassian Thrush, Brown Thornbill and Crimson Rosella were seen and Eastern Whipbird and Superb Lyrebirds could be heard calling from the forest.
Tanglefoot TrackAfter morning tea we took a walk up the Tanglefoot Track. Crescent Honeyeaters, Grey Fantail, Rufous Fantail, Golden Whistler and Grey Shrike Thrush were seen along the track, we also came across a Female Rose Robin hopping along the path. About 800m along the track we heard Pilotbirds melodiously calling from either side of the track, we stopped to look carefully into the undergrowth and saw at least three, after a few minutes a couple dashed across the path and into the bush. Returning to the car park we saw Eastern Spinebill.
Driving back along Sylvia Creek road a Wonga Pigeon crossed the road in front of the car. A very unusual bird for this part of the state.