Glad we weren’t doing it today. Prue and I had a pleasant morning for our last woodland survey of the year. The reserve was looking very green, the dams were full, and birds were plentiful with 56 species recorded. A party of three Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos was probably the most unusual sighting for here. Raptors included Nankeen Kestrel, Black-shouldered Kite, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Brown Falcon. Amongst other things were Common Bronzewing, Superb Parrot, Little Corella, Dollarbird, Speckled Warbler at 2 sites, Western Gerygone, Brown-headed Honeyeater, Varied Sittella, White-winged Triller, Dusky Woodswallow, Leaden Flycatcher, Rufous Songlark at 2 sites. Mistletoebirds were recorded 6 at of our 9 sites. A Red-browed Finch with a piece of grass was either nest-building or preparing to display, while Grey Fantails were nesting at one site.
Lots of nice plants (and weeds!) in flower including Blue Devil and Native Mint. The non-avian highlight was finding 2 colonies of Stencilled Hairstreak (Jalmenus ictinus) butterflies on Acacia parramattensis plants.
Steve
