Previous discussions with COG members about
where suphur-crested cockatoos roost have interested me, particularly after
observing large flocks flying over uriarra crossing over summer.
On the weekend many birds flew over Hawker
suburb. So I followed them, by Monday I had found the roost, in the Molonglo
valley, West of Hawker and South of Higgins, in that corner, just off William
Hovell (directly West of Weetangera cemetery). This is a steepish W or SW slope
with a patch of mature trees that mainly look like stringybark and scribbly
gums, just east of the roost, at the cemetery, are redgums and yellow
box.
Birds mainly seemed to be entering from 3
directions, East from Hawker, NE Hawker/scullin and NW from Higgins (and west
Belc). On Monday a minimum of 356 birds came in, and on Tuesday a minimum of 364
came in (1 dy). Birds were already present in this small valley, so numbers were
probably higher. When 50 SC cockatoos pass over suburbs their calls can be
considered very loud, well imagine 350, when they are all calling together it
sounds like a roar.
Interestingly on Monday 3 birds flew back
NE at dusk, while on Tuesday 1 bird did.
Not sure why but perhaps they were nesting.
So perhaps during winter birds roost closer to
Canberra, out of
the cold of the mountains. My impression is that this large roost is not a long
term roost and they may move places in a few weeks. So keep your eyes
open.
At Hawker ovals on the weekend I counted 406
galahs in one flock on Sat and 192 on Sunday. Other interesting birds included
15 straw necked ibis, 4 kookaburras.
Benj Whitworth
