Apologies for the lateness of this report, but I have been away, and in addition, exceptionally disorganised domestically. Will try harder in future.
Barbara Allan and I made our way unescorted around the 8 sites on a wonderfully fine, brisk winter morning – a great day for bird watching, although I think we started (at 7:30) before some of the birds got up.
We recorded 28 species in the nominated sites and a further 7 between sites: 2 Wedge-tail Eagles roosting on a dead tree near the Grenade Range, Kookaburra, Speckled Warbler, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Australian Magpie-lark, Pied Currawong
and Grey Butcher-bird.
There were a lot of birds at Site 2 (the Grenade Range, not far off the end of the Canberra Airport Runway), but were the usual suspects – Noisy Miners, Magpies, Galahs, Eastern and Crimson Rosellas, Red-rumped Parrots, Australian Ravens
and 150 Starlings. The die-back of Blakely’s at that site is catastrophic, and there won’t be too many trees there in the next year or two. I assume it is the Noisy Miners, although there is considerable die-back of Blakely’s right across the Range.
Site 1 usually provides a good list, but only revealed 4 species, including Fuscous Honeyeater. Site 3 did not let us down that morning, although it was still not long after sun-up. Buff-rumped Thornbills were nest building, a Grey Fantail
was hanging in there, together with Weebill, Golden Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Eastern Spinebill, White-eared Honeyeater and Superb Fairy-wren.
The other two southern sites were quiet, although Site 4 presented 8 species including White-eared Honeyeater and Eastern Spinebill, Weebill and Buff-rumped Thornbill.
The three northern sites provided some good sightings, with most seen at the Dam, site 9, with 18 species, including a rare sighting of 7 Varied Sittella. As well, the usual suspects were there: Weebill and White-eared Honeyeater, Masked
Lapwing, Wood Duck, Grey Teal, Pacific Black Duck, Noisy Miner, Scarlet Robin and White-throated Treecreeper. At site 8 there were few sightings except for 10 Buff-rumped Thornbills and a single Brown Goshawk skulking in the tree-tops. It may well be the
same bird that was reported from the adjacent site 7 in the previous survey.
All in all it was a pleasant morning’s birding. At the Majura Survey we always drive between the far flung sites, and it is very pleasant on an icy winter morning to return to the warm vehicle for the trip to the next site. Certainly beats
hoofing it all over Mulligans as I can recall doing in the distant past!
Cheers
Paul Fennell
Editor Annual Bird Report
Manager COG Databases
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