Mulligans Flat - esp access.

["martin butterfield" <>]

Today I went for a stroll in Mulligan's Flat (mainly because I haven't been there for a while).  The key thing I found is that the access arrangements have changed:

• instead of going well past the lake and turning towards Gundaroo (and then driving back down the dirt road); you
• turn in to go past the sales place (and then past the array of Forde McMansions - it isn't hard to keep going) and you end up in a car park that is still being developed.  From here you can get out though a sort-of gateway and up to the old gate into the Reserve.  Since this involves crossing the road that the (con/des)truction industry is using to dump their detritus I would be a bit cautious about this last 50m

Also, the guy from an earthmoving contractor who very kindly helped me find the right spot to park commented, that 'they' are changing the access strategy every week, so it may have changed by the time any of you get out there.

 

So what about the birds you say?  I ended up with 32 species which i don't regard as very good for this area.  However: it was rather warm, there was nothing in flower; very few insects (not all bad); and, possibly as a result of the huge numbers of roos around, no grasses appeared to have got to seed. Many of the smaller dams had water (although the big dam was almost dry) but the waterfowl were nowhere near their usual diversity or numbers.  A low flying juvenile WEDGE-TAILED EAGLE was nice as always; a PALLID CUCKOO was a reminder that not all migrants have left (as were WESTERN and WHITE-THROATED GERYGONE).  Very few honeyeaters - no Yellow-faced or white-naped; no Noisy Friarbirds - but several flocks of BROWN-HEADED HONEYEATER.

 

A final point is that I had some difficulty in finding crossing points for the ANU fence close to the big dam.  I suspect when completed there will be gates but they aren't well posted if you get off the dirt roads.

 

Martin