Barbara Allan and I, with 3 Defence environment officers, conducted the 4th survey for the year between 7.30 and 10.00 am on Tuesday 5 December. As usual we had to compromise on the date, having to slide it back from November because the firing range is quite busy at this time of year. In the distant past we were able to survey on the weekend, when there was generally no activity, but for some time it has not been possible, mainly because new safety requirements mean we are not allowed to be on the range by ourselves.
It was a pleasant sunny/cloudy morning with a light breeze. It was a good thing we went on Tuesday, because the next day it was blowing a howling gale.
All in all there were plenty of birds about, reflecting the pristine conditions of the area. We saw only a few kangaroos, and in most places the grasses were waist high, with an abundance of wildflowers.
At Site 2 the Grenade Range, there were more species than usual, including a pair of Crimson Rosellas moving in and out of a nesting hollow, and a small flock of Tree Martins swooping about. The bird of the moment was the Mistletoebird, which were spotted at a number of sites, no surprise given the huge amounts of mistletoe in much of the scrub. White-throated Gerygones also abounded, but there were not too many Noisy Friarbirds about. There were not too many honeyeaters at all, but a Brown-headed was heard at one site, a species not observed that often. There appeared to be quite a few Rufous Whistlers, with some sites yielding 2 or 3 either on the site or not far away. Cuckoos were generally absent, with only one Pallid Cuckoo observed near the dam at the northern end of the reserve. There were Wood Ducks, Pacific Black Ducks and one Hardhead, as well as an Australasian Grebe on the dam.
There were no observations of Brown Treecreeper or Hooded Robin, which are now apparently absent from the areas they once were observed.
Altogether, we enjoyed a pleasant morning birding in good company.
Cheers
Paul
Paul Fennell
Editor Annual Bird Report
COG Databases Manager
026254 1804
0407105460
