From the floodplain!

["martin butterfield" <>]

Being in need of some exercise this morning I betook myself for a ride from 101 Whiskers Creek Road to, and along, Plains Road, Hoskintown.This seems to add up to about 23km or the round trip and cover the hilly stuff in Carwoola and cross the flood plain of the Molonglo River.  The good nws is that the floodplain was flooded.  Water was running in the Molonglo, where Briars-Sharrow Road crosses it and a causeway along Plains Road was under about 10cm of water (thank you to the nice lady driving a Land Cruiser who slowed as she went through - I had scheduled a shower for when I got home).

 

I noted 36 species as I rolled along.  None of these were greatly unusual but the flock sizes were quite high in some cases (eg 18 Australian Magpies).  Following the recent postings about "posing" crested pigeons I was interested to notice one of a pair of them 'assume the position'.  However this was a rather noisy process with the wings being clapped across the back at the same time as the tail was vigorously fanned out.  My guess was that in this instance it was part of a display routine.

 

The ride covered parts of 3 grid squares (q,r,s16).  The Hoskintown 1:25k map covers 18 squares which have at best been sparsely covered in the past, although most the grids are accessible without too much use a panga.  My intention is to try to visit all of them at least twice this calendar year and possibly make a habit of repeating this ride at least a month.

 

Martin