Blackheath, Blue Mountains

Visited: Autumn and Winter

Recommendation: Lyrebirds are known for singing in the area during the winter months but I've heard them as early as mid-May. Rockwarbler are resident and can be found out in the open in the lookout car parks. There are also Spotted Quail-thrush in the bush alongside the access roads. It might be a bit cold to camp here but the winter birds are incredible.

The Blue Mountains are a rugged region located west of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's known for its dramatic scenery, including steep cliffs, eucalyptus forests and waterfalls. Geologically, they're not truly mountains but a giant sandstone plateau that gradually rises in elevation. The Blue Mountains were formed around 50 million years ago following a powerful uplift. The rocks that make up the plateau are much older, estimated to be around 470 million years old, making them about 10 times older than the Grand Canyon!

That makes it slightly disappointing that part of the area is named the Grand Canyon. These incredible cliffs and valleys should speak for themselves!

I first stayed in a campground to the west of Blackheath, down in the valley on the Megalong Road (another odd and obvious name). It was surrounded by thick forest and we were hopeful for much wildlife activity. I did see Gang-gang and Yellow-tailed Cockatoo but not much else. Spotlighting after dark was not much better as the road wasn't very safe and the only thing I heard was a Southern Boobook.

My next stop for a few nights was at the Mount York campsite east of Blackheath and possibly at the highest part of the Blue Mountains. There were spectacular views to the west and north but it was cooler and surprisingly, felt very dry even in the rain. The birds were not terribly co-operative but I did find a Spotted Quail-thrush dashing into the bush. Although it gave me great views, there was no time for a photos. Around the area at times were more Gang-gang Cockatoo, easily identifiable by their squawking call. 

Everywhere I went there were the quiet squeaks of different thornbill. They are hard to separate in the field so I tried to get as many photos as possible. Most common is the Brown Thornbill but I also saw the Striated and Buff-rumped. There were also plenty of Eastern Spinebill zooming around in familial groups. 

One of the key species I wanted to find here was the endemic Rockwarbler. This rather plain bird is only found in the Greater Sydney area and the Blue Mountains are a fantastic place to locate them rather easily. At the car parks for the Evans Lookout and Grand Canyon walk, they are frequently seen foraging for food on the tarmac. But be warned, they do not sit still and insist on skulking about in the shadows. Finding them might be easy but photographing them is another story!

There were other species here, especially along the Evans Lookout - Govett's Leap walk, including the creek at Braeside. There I saw numerous skinks and snakes in the sunnier parts. A Golden-crowned Snake and the Cunningham's Skink were the highlights. This is definitely a place to investigate further.  

Another target species here was the Superb Lyrebird and I was lucky enough to not only see them each day but to watch them calling both at the Grand Canyon carpark and close to the Mount York campground. They were spectacular and in full song, they imitated birds in the area perfectly. They are plainer than their Albert's cousins but larger and with huge silvery tail plumes. I did get a video of one singing and although it is blurred, you can still hear the calls. 

The Blue Mountains are named for the blue hue they take on when viewed from a distance. This blue tinge is caused by the dispersion of volatile terpenoids (oils) released by the eucalyptus trees. When these oils interact with sunlight, dust particles, and water vapor in the air, they scatter blue light, giving the mountains their characteristic color. Whilst they are a tremendous draw for tourists because of their incredible beauty, there is also a wealth of wildlife to be found here.