Following on from Steve and Alastair’s
reports yesterday, I headed down to the Jerrabomberra wetlands first thing this
morning. Most of the birds (except the Grey Goshawk) were still present. The
Freckled Duck was still in front of the Cygnus hide at 6.40am but I could not find it
again at 8.00am (probably sleeping out of sight somewhere). There were also two
Black-winged Stilt here, the Swamp Harrier was patrolling the reed beds, and a
Collared Sparrowhawk made a brief dash through the Red-browed Finches. A pair
of Spotted Pardalotes were busy excavating a nesting burrow on the exposed mud amongst
the rabbit warren near the Bittern Hide – great for photography.
The waders reported from the channels and
ponds across the paddocks were still present. There was also a Baillons Crake
in a section of taller grass along one of the channels, a White-necked Heron,
and a sub-adult White-bellied Sea-eagle. There were up to 7 Greenfinches in
trees around the Ardea hide and at least 50 Goldfinch feeding on the thistles
in the paddocks. A great if cold and frosty start to the working day.
Cheers Dan
