WW to Woodstock NR

[martin butterfield <>]

The editors of Gang-gang may wish to use this as a trip report.

11 members of COG braved the weather forecast (and indeed the early look of the weather) for what turned out to be a top exploration of Woodstock Nature Reserve in the Murrumbidgee River Corridor.  A pedant could even say it was a top to bottom exploration as we ended up at the River.  

Our path was down a very high quality dirt road over a huge gully crossing.  There was much speculation as to why so much money had been spent on the track, especially as it ends up in the middle of nowhere.  A Google search has not been helpful in resolving this. 

To begin with we were seeing or hearing quite a few of the common bush birds with excellent views of a Golden Whistler being appreciated. At the bottom of the first hill produced a male Scarlet Robin, at least two   Eastern Yellow Robins and a male Flame Robin.

Moving on we watched with great delight a White-bellied Sea-eagle soar along the opposite escarpment from Urriara Crossing downstream past the old Ginninderra Falls.  Shortly thereafter the first of three Wedge-tailed Eagles (all present at once a little later) appeared.  Then the noise level increased as 3 Peregrine Falcons appeared around the cliffs below the lookout.  One bird in particular performed a very high speed stoop diagonally across the sky.

Other more interesting birds were a roosting pair of Tawny Frogmouths (in the same area where a member of the group had seen them a year ago); at least 20 Little Black Cormorants fishing in the river; a Black-shouldered Kite, 3 Gang-gangs, 2 New Holland Honeyeaters  and 2 Double-barred finches.  We totalled 36 species, and a full list will appear on the COG website in due course and some images and supplementary badinage are in my blog.

The editors of Gang gang may wish to include this in 'Forthcoming trips" and could it please be added to the trips list on the COG Website.

The mid-month walk for June 2013 will be to the Australian National Botanic Gardens.  Meet in the car park where the bridge goes across to the Cafe at 9am on 19 June 2013.

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Martin Butterfield

http://franmart.blogspot.com.au/