Nice birds this morning

[Ryu Callaway <>]

Went up Wanniassa Hills initially. I did not end up going more than 200m, for there was a selection of great birds to occupy my attention for the next 2 hours. 

Leaden Flycatchers had been in the same clump of trees for 1.5 months, but I hadn't previously had luck finding a nest. Today I found a fledgling being fed and when it wasn't hungry the adults were adding material to an almost complete nest (new nest or perhaps refurbishing the old one?). Not surprisingly, Noisy Friarbirds had a nest in an adjacent tree, with young. The highlight of the morning was a Rufous Fantail in the area for 15 minutes- what it is doing down here at this time of year I'm not sure. 

I then went down to Fadden Hills Pond. There was a new brood of 8 Pacific Black Duck ducklings- The first time they have bred there as far as I know, at least since I started monitoring regularly in 2014. A gang-gang was also feeding on gum nuts in the gully- the first time I have sighted one in the area. We had never seen gang-gangs in the area until october, when I heard them a few times on the northern end of wanniassa hills and my mum saw some from home a week or so ago. Perhaps they are slowly spreading south from their stroghold towards central canberra?

Ryu