Prue and I did our final woodland survey for the year, in conditions that were far better than we expected after seeing the forecast. Overall bird numbers seemed low compared to our spring survey although we did manage to find 50 species, with 41 recorded during counts. Interesting sightings included a very vocal Brown Goshawk near site 3, a Brown Falcon, a Grey Currawong at site 5, a Sacred Kingfisher calling at site 6 and Speckled Warblers at 2 sites. Several species of summer migrants were recorded – Leaden Flycatcher, Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, Rufous Whistler, both gerygones, Noisy Friarbird, and Tree Martin, although all were in small numbers. Several species I would have expected to find at this time of year, such as Rufous Songlark, OB Oriole, Dusky Wood swallow, White-winged Triller, were absent. Honeyeaters were also in small numbers (apart from Noisy Miners) with a handful of Yellow-faced, Brown-headed, White-plumed, Eastern Spinebill and Red Wattlebirds recorded. Breeding records included an active Pied Currawong nest, and dependent young Australian Magpies and Buff-rumped Thornbill.
We also saw 2 Echidnas, 4 Long-necked Turtles basking on the same log in a dam, and an adult Common Dwarf Skink. 3 species of frog were calling after the rain, and there were 6 species of butterfly, including my first Marbled Xenica for the season, and the usual summer myriads of Common Browns. Many eucalypts were under attack from swarms of Christmas Beetles and lerps. Unfortunately some areas of the reserve seem to be getting increasingly weed infested.
Steve
