Hoskintown Plain today

["martin butterfield" <>]

I went for a bike ride from home along Plains Road to Hoskintown, returning via Bungendore Road and Briars-Sharrow Road. This totalled 30km, and I achieved an average of 0.7 species per kilometer (but 50 birds per km).

 

Very few birds were on the Plains Rd leg: a Nankeen Kestrel was the highlight. 

 

On the Southern stretch of Bungendore Road matters were again quiet util I encountered a feeding flock of 20 Yellow-rumped Thornblls, 10 House sparrows and at least 100 European Goldfinches.  They were dining in some hawthorn bushes: 20 Red-rumped Parrots were also there but I couldn't work out if they were feeding or just hanging out in the bushes.

 

On arriving at the entrance to the Molonglo Radio Observatory my eye was first caught by more Yellow-rumped Thornbills and then  a single Diamond Firetail.  I eventually counted at last 9 Flame Robins.  Then a single Southern Whileface sat to watch proceedings.  Moving on to Briars Sharrow Road my count of Little Ravens for Grid R15 was up to 150, clearly outnumbereed by Sulphur Crested Cockatoos (400) and Common Starlings (at least 600) feeding in some longish grass.  A Brown Falcon passed by, to keep them all alert. 

 

Martin