Today I birded in seven grids from Yass (GrF03) along the Wee Jasper
Road as far as the Sutton TSR (GrC07). Sutton TSR is Yass TSR No 56 and
has no apparent connection with the other Sutton). The morning fog
reduced effectiveness considerably. Highlights were four Nankeen
Kestrels in one grid and a fifth in another grid, a Restless Flycatcher
in each of three grids, two Yellow Thornbills near the Good Hope Rd
junction, two White-bellied Sea-Eagles downstream from Taemas Bridge,
six Diamond Firetails near the Sutton TSR, 195 Sulphur-crested Cockatoos
near Taemas Station, and about 40 Red-rumped Parrots, also near Sutton
TSR. While most Yellow-rumped Thornbills were in big flocks, one of
twoYellow-rumped Thornbills near Warroo Creek was collecting spider web
and two of the Noisy Miners in the Sutton TSR appeared to be copulating.
The day certainly felt more like Spring than Winter. The Sea-Eagles
appeared to be a pair. One was bigger than the other. They were perched
about a metre apart and there was a lot of loud honking. The scenic
highlight was looking along the Murrumbidgee valley from a height along
the Wee Jasper Road to see a very distant Black Mountain with its
convenient identifier almost lost in the haze.
The lowlight was 12 Common Mynas at Yass - not sure if they have been
recorded there before.
About 1km up the Boambolo Road several eucalypts are flowering and this
has attracted big numbers of honeyeaters: Yellow-faced, White-naped,
White-eared, White-plumend and Fuscous Honeyeaters as well as many Red
Wattlebirds.
I saw no Speckled Warblers, Brown Treecreepers or Hooded Robins. A lot
of the more fertile country along the Wee Jasper Road will be treeless
in time as the older trees die off in areas where there are no
replacements. Some of the stations are doing a good job rehabilitating
gully and erosion areas, planting good width windbreaks, and allowing
patches of regeneration in the paddocks. Unfortunately, these are in a
small minority. Many landholders must be feeling the combined whammies
of low wool prices, increased credit and other input costs, and
prolonged drought, and may not be in a position to do much for their
home environment, even if they wanted to. While the country looks green,
it is mostly the thin tinge of a green drought, and many of the dams are
either empty or very low. The long paddock is being grazed in several
places.
Con
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