Wednesday Walk to Hall area

[Martin Butterfield <>]

The editors of Gang-gang may wish to use the following as the report on this trip.

23 members and guests met at the appointed time and place, and were astonished at the amount of traffic on the highway.  We entered the Travelling Stock Reserve and toured it, and the adjoining woodland.The "best bird" seen was a Crested Shrike-tit, first located in an Acacia dealbata and then seen in many nearby perches.  The bird was very aggressive to Dusky Woodswallows and it was thought likely that a nest was in the vicinity.  It clearly met the criterion for the "Agitated Behaviour" category of Breeding records in ebird.  Two Jacky Winters were seen in the far western corner of the woodland but displayed no evidence of breeding behaviour.  A single Brown Treecreeper was seen bu one observer close to where very young birds were seen a year ago.  We totaled 39 species at this site

 

Other breeding records at th

​is

 first site were: Sulphur-crested Cockatoo inspecting Hollow; Magpie-lark on nest; Willie Wagtail Nest with Young; Dusky Woodswallow on Nest; Welcome Swallow Dependent Young; and Noisy Friarbird on nest.

​T

here were a number of notable absentees.  Not a single thornbill was sen or heard.  Likewise not a single Cuckoo.  Nor any Rufous Whistlers.  While the length of the grass might have made the area unattractive for some species in these groups, the aboreal species - especially those with a taste for larger insects should have been very well suited. 

 

About half the group moved on to the nearby Cemetery.  This was relatively quiet for birds (but not for cicadas).  At low altitudes the less common birds seen were 2 Dollarbirds (well away from the hollow used for nesting the previous two years) and an Australian Hobby feeding on prey (probably a fat cicada).  A flock of 9 Straw-necked Ibis soared overhead with a single White-necked Heron well above them.  11 species here.

I have put some photos of things that interested/amused me - including a few birds! - on my blog.  A birdlist is attached.

As there won't be a January Gang-gang this is the notice for the January Wednesday Walk.  We will visit Warks Road in the Brindabellas which will be a longer outing.  Bring lunch and water.  At todays outing the group suggested that as it is a fair drive to the venue we should meet for carpooling at Stromlo Forest Park at 8am (note change from 8:30 - could 'someone' revise the entry on the website please!!!) on 21 January.  Note that the walk will be cancelled if there is a total fire ban. 

Martin Butterfield

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

141217 COG Hall.xlsx
Description: MS-Excel 2007 spreadsheet

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