canberrabirds

Swamphens best of Floriade

To: canberrabirds chatline <>
Subject: Swamphens best of Floriade
From: Julian Robinson <>
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2016 07:26:20 +0000

A family or maybe two families of Purple Swamphens were wowing the crowds at Floriade on Saturday… great ambassadors for the cause of birds in Canberra.  They had nested in the big pond only a few metres from a main path, so that dozens of kids and adults were lined up watching and taking reasonable pics with their phones. When we were there, the chicks were being fed constantly, the adults swimming off to less denuded islands and bringing back a single reed each time before stripping out the pith and feeding to the 6 chicks.

 

It was easily the highlight of an increasingly commercial and uninspiring Floriade – the first time I’ve been in 5 years and unlikely to go back unless the new venue brings a startling improvement.  Even the kids were bored, apart from the swamphens.  A much better tulip venue is the Tulip Top Garden on the Federal Hwy.  Small but beautiful, less commercial even though it’s a private venture, and with the added attraction of blossom trees as well as Yellow-rumped Thornbills and other bush birds.

 

 

 

Julian

www.flickr.com/photos/ozjulian/

 

https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8257/29845011282_02ff0c64a3.jpg

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
Admin

The University of NSW School of Computer and Engineering takes no responsibility for the contents of this archive. It is purely a compilation of material sent by many people to the Canberra Ornithologists Group mailing list. It has not been checked for accuracy nor its content verified in any way. If you wish to get material removed from the archive or have other queries about the list contact David McDonald, list manager, phone (02) 6231 8904 or email . If you can not contact David McDonald e-mail Andrew Taylor at this address: andrewt@cse.unsw.EDU.AU