![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.thewildlifediaries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Spotted-Bower-Bird_Bowra_310512035-as-Smart-Object-2.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>For starters, a Spotted bowerbird built its bower in the back yard of the cottage we were staying in and he spent his days performing elaborate dances accompanied by a cacophony of calls, trying to attract the hard-to-impress females.<\/p>\n Over the next few days I managed to spot two lifers: Australian Bustard (Ardeotis australis) and Brolgas (Grus rubicund) \u2013 one of Australia\u2019s only two crane species.<\/p>\n The water reservoir near the homestead supports quite a number of water species: Black-winged stilts, Red-kneed dotterel, White-fronted dotterel, Hoary-headed grebe, Australasian grebe, Whistling ducks, Grey teals and Straw-necked ibis.<\/p>\n In late afternoon White-breasted and White-browed wood swallows like to hunt insects from the branches of the trees growing near the reservoir.<\/p>\n The woodlands around the property also turned up some interesting species: Major Mitchell Cockatoo, Chestnut-crowned babbler, Plum-headed finch, Red-capped robin, Red-rumped parrot, red-winged parrot, Variegated fairy-wren, Australian hobbie and Jackie winter.<\/p>\n Frogging in Bowra was a lot of fun, given the wet conditions at the time. It was the wrong time of the year for the Crucifix frog, but the sheer numbers of the amphibians that were present were quite astounding. Overall I found 10 species in three nights, including an impressively large Giant burrowing frog (Cyclorana novaeholladiae), which is the most intimidating frog I have ever seen.<\/p>\n The other nine species were: Long-thumbed frog (Limnodynastes fletcheri), Spotted grass frog (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis), Green tree frog (Litoria caerulea), Broad-palmed rocket frog (Litoria latopalmata), Peron\u2019s tree frog (Litoria peronii), Red tree frog (Litoria rubella), Sudell\u2019s frog (Neobatrachus sudelii), Ornate burrowing frog (Platyplectrum ornatum), Wrinkled toadlet (Uporelia rugosa)<\/p>\n