Be careful at Finch Central!!

[martin butterfield <>]

I decided to visit Finch Central (near Coppins Crossing for any new members) this morning, mainly to see if any Barn Owls might be roosting  in the big dead trees.   When I got to the gate there was a bit of red fabric on the fence which I assumed to be something to do with the nice graded state of the track in (or possibly the agricultural work going on in the paddocks above the track).  When I got about 700m along the track there was a loud bang (like a shotgun being fired) which caused me some concern.  About a minute later I heard a lesser bang and then saw a flash in the air followed 3 seconds later by another loud bang.  Someone was firing starshells from a mortar!  

Cutting to the chase when I got a little closer to the defunct sewage works there were a cluster of people there and that was the source of the bangs.  Something very like small arms fire then happened - which I actually think was some more fireworks so I got down to the river where there was some solid earth between me and whatever these hooligans/idiots ( I suspect members of AFP training someone in something) were up to. There were several more starshells fired over the next 30 minutes.

I called into the Stromlo Parks Depot to report this.  I made two points to the Ranger I spoke to:

1. There was no warning that the people in the sewage were firing explosives around (so expect no warning if they are using firearms).  I see this as incredibly dangerous.
2. There are raptors nesting in the area (( saw a pair of Kestrels in the River Valley on my way back to the car and I am certain that having starshells fired high into the sky would be likely to disturb them.

One of the very pleasant and concerned Parks people was going to email AFP - who had notified the Parks Office they'd be doing something there this morning - and point a few things out to them.  I shall pass on whatever advice I get back from the Parks people, but in the meantime I suggest anyone planning to go birding at Finch Central be very very wary.  

I didn't see any owls but did see the aforementioned Kestrels and, back near Coppings Crossing, a single Black-shouldered Kite.  I also called in at Stromlo Forest park looking for Chats.  I failed on that but did flush 3 Brown Quail and spotted a single Hardhead on the large dam.  3 Pipits were on the grass running track and at least 3 Skylarks were singing their hearts out up above.

Martin