|
Eight COG members joined me for the 7km walk around Lake Tuggeranong on a beautiful morning. Lots of others thought the same thing - we encountered many walkers, cyclists and dogs. Despite the many people, we managed a very respectable 55 species. Most numerous were Eurasian Coots, with large numbers also of Purple Swamphens, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Darters, Red-rumped Parrots, Welcome Swallows, Noisy Miners and Red Wattlebirds. An immature Olive-backed Oriole provided a wonderful rendition of the familiar song and a great variety of other calls as we watched at close quarters. A group of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos flew past before the official start of the walk, and we examined a small nest in the reeds which included a lot of clear plastic. A Nankeen Night Heron seen a couple of weeks ago was still roosting in casuarinas at the end of one of the islands. Great, Little Black and Little Pied Cormorants and both Hoary-headed and Australasian Grebes were noted, as well as a good selection of small bush birds, including White-plumed Honeyeaters which were seen mating and nest building. The flowering grevilleas near the silt trap next to Athllon Drive had attracted quite a range of birds, including Eastern Spinebills, New Holland Honeyeaters, Silvereyes and Brown Thornbills.
Sandra Henderson
|
