Exploring the hills and mountains east of Melbourne deserves a full day especially in the warmer months of summer when breeding migrants add to the resident birds. Driving through the suburbs various wetlands and riverine woodlands can be visited and will add to the day list. They hold a wide range of birds with many Parrot species, plus the chance of roosting Tawny Frogmouths and Powerful Owls. Further out in the Yarra Ranges National Park, Toolangi state forest and Bunyip State Park, vast tracts of forest await us. A range of species reach the limit of their range here and are not found further west including Superb Lyrebird, Pilotbird, Lewins Honeyeater, Large-billed Scrubwren, Black-faced Monarch, Eastern Whipbird and Brown Gerygone. Other wet forest specialities also here include Olive Whistler, Rose and Pink Robins, Satin Flycatcher, Gang Gang Cockatoo, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Brush Cuckoo, Cicadabird, Rufous Fantail, Satin Bowerbird, White-throated Needletail (Dec to Mar), Bassian Thrush and Red-browed Treecreeper.
This absolutely beautiful countryside is not going to produce a huge species list for the day, however there are a number of sought after south-east Australian endemics to be found.
Cost $390 for 1-2 people, plus $50 for each extra person, includes drinks and snacks, lunch not included