Yesterday's Hinterblitzing

[martin butterfield <>]

My effort started at 7 am and 6 degrees C where the Molonglo crosses Briars Sharrow Rd.  The only remarkable sighting here was a stream of Gang-gangs  (at least 30 birds in groups of 4 - 6) coming out of a wooded hillside to start feeding on the hawthorns with which the Plain is widely graced.  

Moving towards Hoskinstown I hoped to see Fairy Martins roosting in the usual culvert but no birds of this species were evident.  As it was still only 7 degrees, perhaps they were still 'tucked away'?  Alternatively as I didn't see them, or Tree Martins, anywhere else perhaps they have already left?

A Diamond Firetail was heard at the usual location south of Hoskinstown (just North of the sharp bend on the road towards Rossi).

Foxlow Lagoon, like most other water bodies in the area, was greatly reduced in size.and depth. This seemed to have greatly reduced its attractiveness to ducks (only Pacific Black Duck and Grey Teal could be identified from the road (800m away).  However is seemed to be heron-heaven with 6 White-faced Heron and 4 White-necked Heron wading around.  Also seen were 12 Black-winged Stilt (this is the only spot in the area where I have seen this species) and a similar number of Masked Lapwing.

The next two stops provided lists of the common birds of the area.  I then got to Wild Cattle Flat Road where Grey Currawong was added to the list.  I decided to investigate the track to Mount Bollard.  It is marked on the Tinderry 1:25,000 map as 4 WD only  so I decided to walk rather than drive.  The description IS NOT A TYPO - while the first 2 - 3 kms are quite reasonable and my Forester could have managed it easily the final kilometre up the mountain, is very steep.  The bush was generally very dry, although one  puddle still had a bit of water attracting a number of bush birds including Scarlet Robin, Flame Robin and Golden Whistler.  A Superb Lyrebird was also heard and a Spotted Quail-thrush seen.

I made a couple more stops along the road back to Captains Flat without adding any exciting birds - possibly because the temperature was now in the high 20s.  

In the early evening I went to a couple of spots just North of Carwoola to see if the cooling air was encouraging birds to come out.  This was largely answered in the negative, although at Molonglo River Park a party of 10 Yellow-faced Honeyeaters seemed to be flying as if they were on migration: other honeyeaters seen during the day seemed to be quite content to stay where they were.

Martin