Pulled into McDermott Place, Lake Ginninderra, at 07:00 hours today and saw a White-bellied Sea-Eagle sitting on the shore within two metres of the water. It seemed completely unfazed as I sat and watched. Nearby, Purple Swamphens and Dusky Moorhens went nonchalantly about their business.
Sometimes it seems that some birds have an arcane way of sensing when Ole Man Eagle is in hunting mode and when he’s not. I watched for about 30 seconds before the eagle rose and flapped leisurely away heading north for a few moments before turning west and drawing out of view. There were no other cars or pedestrians in the immediate area.
This afternoon, after the sun broke through and West Belconnen was shrouded in a light smoke haze, I saw numbers of white butterflies that seemed to have a different flight characteristic to that of the ubiquitous Cabbage White. I thought they may have been Caper Whites, but was not close enough for positive identification. They headed in a westerly direction; singles rather than pairs or groups. Anyone else see them, particularly in Belconnen?
John K. Layton
Holt.
