Bird Watching
The Lachlan region lives up to its reputation as the ‘oasis of the outback’ when you see the sheer numbers of birdlife that either live here year-round or migrate to our wetlands and lakes. And where there are birds, there will be bird watching – a popular and rewarding pastime for casual observers to avid enthusiasts decked out with giant camera lenses and high-powered binoculars!
This impressive array of birdlife draws so many ‘twitchers’ from far and wide that a part of Lake Cargelligo has now been designated a bird sanctuary – with two accessible bird hides to allow you to observe without disturbing fragile habitats. Binoculars and bird guides can be hired from the Lake Cargelligo tourist information centre (at the lake end of the main street).
Feathered friends
If you have a list of birds to check off, this is the place – with many water/wading birds such as cormorants, spoonbill, egret, swamphens, crakes, pelicans, spoonbill, heron, ibis, terns, swans, ducks and geese on display plus others including cockatoos, wrens, silver gulls. There is also the opportunity to glimpse a variety of rarer or threatened species including swift parrots, brolga or white-bellied sea eagle, as well as red-lored whistler or malleefowl in nearby Round Hill or Nombinnie Nature Reserves.
These are of course just a fraction of the 200+ species recorded across the region – and for more specific details on birdwatching in the area (and great photos!), we recommend this website.