Mountain creek Rd

[Robin Hide <>]

Primarily to see almost full (93%) Burrinjuck reservoir (a great sight), drove to Yass (at least 4 kestrels along rd); to the Good Hope inlet (off the Wee Jasper rd- a pair of Wt Eagles circling just above hill behind the inlet); to Wee Jasper (2 pairs of Wt Eagles at intervals on hills above road, one unidentified smaller raptor- perhaps Brown Goshawk); to Careys Reserve along inlet downstream from WJ (at start of picnic, a single White-bellied Sea-Eagle in brief sight, at finish it sailed over us and out of sight downstream pursued by two very angry Masked Lapwings; one pair of kestrels on ridge to one side, another single kestrel to the other side); further downstream to Cooradidgbee (pair of White-bellied Sea-Eagles, one on tree across water, the other circling, and then both circling).  A plentitude of raptors- marvellous. Returned via Mt Creek Rd.

Other birds of note, a White-necked (Pacific) Heron on a small dam just out of Wee Jasper.
A cuckoo at Cooradidgbee: ID assistance would be very welcome...I think an immature Pallid Cuckoo?




Robin Hide



On 24/09/2010 5:55 PM, Whitworth, Benjamin - BRS wrote:

Last Friday 17^th. I went along Mountain Creek Road, it was a great sunny day. But quite windy, making birding a bit tricky.

 

Hall Cemetery- Pallid cuckoo (no orchids)

 

Rd to Yass- Saw about 8 Nankeen kestrels- they were everywhere.

WeeJ/Yass Rd- Murrumbidgee and Burrinjuck were as full as Ive ever seen.

 

Mullion- Nada. W swallow. Mountain creek Rd

 

TSR 60- Near Ledges Ck Rd. Mountain creek Rd.

Heaps of golden moth orchids right at the entrance, plus Wurmbea, Drosera and tricoryne. This spot is interesting, starts off as YB-RG then there is a very sudden change to stringybarks, then back to YB-RG, then to a stringybark ridge before heading down to the river.

24 species of birds. Nothing spectacular- a kookaburra, 8 striated thornbills, gst, 2 golden whistlers, 21 yFH flying through, 2 wt treecreepers, 6 ww choughs, 6 striated pardalotes calling.

 

TSR 42 (creek & bridge) Mountain creek Rd

6 scrubwrens, lots of grey fantails,  fairy wrens nest building, only 10cm above ground level, got a good view. 2 spinebills.

 

Corner of Fairlight and Mountain creek Rd

I stopped to see a Brown Songlark, I had quite a while to observe it sitting on the fence. Male.

 

Brookvale Homestead- ACT side, Mountain creek Rd

This is a funny spot, it is so open but always has birds. 18 YFH heading SW in 2 flocks, 6 grey fantails, a MFF13 species in 20 mins.

 

I survey these sites because they are all in different COG grid cells (I hope). I was hoping for cuckoos but only got a couple. Lots of honeyeaters tho.

 

Benj Whitworth