canberrabirds

Lake Ginn.

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Subject: Lake Ginn.
From: John Brannan <>
Date: Tue, 06 Sep 2005 18:20:57 +1000
Greetings all,

A delightful evening stroll up the western shore of Lake Ginninderra just now yielded all the usual suspects -- much squabbling among the W-P honeyeaters and some very belligerent swans -- plus a few noteworthy (to me, at least) observations.
For the past few weeks, on every visit to the lake I've seen a darter perched low down over the water in the same willow tree. Every time it's approached it dives into the water and makes no attempt to fly (although I pause to wonder now how it gets back up onto its branch). The markings on the head and neck are very pale, suggesting a female, but the behaviour is more typical of a young bird. It occurred to me tonight that it might possibly be an adult that is injured and cannot fly, though I can't see any sign of injury...
Other highlights were my best view yet of one of the Little Grassbirds that nest there every year, apparently gathering nesting materials (?), a proud pair of Wood Ducks taking their newly hatched fluffballs out for a paddle, 35+ Sacred Ibises settling in for a night on the island with all the willow trees. Others have reported seeing Reed Warblers back in town, but I've yet to see one at Lake G. On the way home 14 Y-T cockatoos were lumbering generally northwards after having been knocked off course briefly by an aggressive (is there any other kind?) magpie.

John Brannan
-- 
36 Challinor Cres., Florey, Canberra ACT 2615, Australia
Ph.: (+612) 6258 6038	Fax: (+612) 6258 6238
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