Little Black Cormorant ageing: a group on the ground near the nest tree possibly represents a brood of young from the recent season. The young have yellowish
bills and brownish eye. The adult enlarged at a B shows an unusual amount of bare facial skin – probably while giving voice. More typical blue-eyed adults from elsewhere are at C.
From: Geoffrey Dabb [
Sent: Monday, 8 May 2017 6:12 PM
To:
Subject: FW: [canberrabirds] GUNGAHLIN POND ISLANDS
I had a look this afternoon from the north side. I didn’t pick up anything very unusual. The veg on the islands is very thick and there could be nests in there
somewhere in season. There are the remains of a small colony of nesting LB Cormorants at the
eastern end of the
eastern island. At Yerrabi Pond I picked up the GC Grebe about 350pm about 80m west
of Soroptimist Point. It swam to the west across the mouth of the bay giving a wide berth to the coot feeding frenzy at the small landing. It made for the narrow marginal band of typha by the stand of casuarinas and fed in there for about 30 mins. You would
be unlikely to find it if you weren’t searching there specifically.
From: John Harris
Sent: Sunday, 7 May 2017 4:23 PM
To: chatline
Subject: [canberrabirds] GUNGAHLIN POND ISLANDS
There is currently a remarkable range and number of water birds on the islands in Gungahlin Pond. A few weeks ago someone was asking about where the AW Ibises
nested. Well there are dozens of them now on those islands, some of them obviously nesting. As well large numbers of most of the larger water birds - all the cormorants, darters etc. There are Glossy Ibises as well and Egrets.
The best approach I think is probably from the Western or Nicholls side of the pond. That is where the birds seemed most visible on this warm and sunny afternoon
with very good light for photography from the westering sun. Regards to all. John
