A WALK IN EYNESBURY'S GREY BOX WOODLANDS

What a delightful afternoon we had in Eynesbury, including seeing diamond firetails.

Eynesbury, new to us, is just over an hour from central Melbourne. It seems to be a new housing development built on an historical farm settlement of the same name, and incorporating a golf course. It also has a section of preserved bush known as the grey box woodland. We are hoping that reserve is designated to be kept as it is. Here is a quick overview of the area.

We set off from the Eynesbury Discovery Centre, which is largely a land sales office, but also a very cute little supermarket and community hub with facilities. The lake is right ext door. We were hardly started along the path through the woods when we spied a pardalote attending to its nest (presumably) in a hollow in the tree.

Next came the firetails, though in truth it may have been just one and the same bird that we saw. We spend quite some time watching, hoping it would play more in the sunshine than the shadow for a better photo. Click on any image to see larger photos.

Soon after we spent some time enjoying two little bush birds - we're guessing Jacky Winters - who were skylarking about and just begging to have their picture taken. It really felt as though spring had arrived just at that moment (though it has since felt as though it's gone again, but let's not dwell on that!). We wended out way along the track and stopped to read what's left of the information panels, many indicating the previous purpose of now derelict farm buildings. It would be lovely to see these kept in better condition, and we cannot fathom the mindset of people who think graffiti is a good idea. 

All in all, we had a most pleasant stroll, and finished off with a black-faced cuckooshrike, and an eastern rosella. Hard to beat those two lovely birds!