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Majura Firing Range Woodland Survey Mon Dec 3 22018
It was quite warm pleasant weather, but a little bit more breezy earlier on than usual. It was not a great haul. 35 species in or heard from sites. There were 7 only species between sites
– Galah, Eastern Rosella, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Willie Wagtail,, House Sparrow, pipit and black duck. Barbara Allan commented that it was odd too that we didn’t see or hear currawongs or Grey Shrike-thrush. We didn’t include fairy-wrens or Brown Thornbills
which MUST have certainly been there.
The highlight of the morning was the sighting of a pair of Red-capped Robins, where Barbara also suspected that the call the male was giving was almost certainly associated with nesting.
Most sites had ranges of species more limited than usual for this time of year. Site 1, a well wooded site on the side of a hill at the southern end of the range had only 2 Sulphur Crested cockatoos within
the site, with seven species heard outside, including Leaden Flycatcher, Laughing Kookaburra and Striated Pardalotes, which were one of the few species heard at most sites. Site 2, the Grenade Range just to the north of the northern boundary of Canberra Airport,
had richer pickings than usual, including 12 Tree Martins, some Red-rumped Parrots and a Rufous Whistler.
A single Pallid Cuckoo was heard during the morning, while other summer migrant sightings included Olive-backed Oriole, Leaden Flycatcher and Noisy Friarbird.
At Site 4, as well as the Red-capped Robins there was a reasonable range of woodland species, including Common Bronzewing, Brown-headed Honeyeater, and the only site with little brown(ish) birds including
Weebill, White-throated Gerygone, Striated and Yellow-rumped Thornbills and Striated Pardalotes. Surprisingly there were no Buff-rumped Thornbills found, and precious few Spotted Pardalotes about.
Site 8 and Site 9 (Mick’s Dam) were rather disappointing. The only waterbirds were a pair of Australasian Grebe, while there were few other species, all the usual suspects, but we did spot 4 White-winged
Choughs at Site 8 - this was rather a welcome sight, since Choughs are generally quite prevalent over the firing range, and this was the only sighting for the morning.
All in all, not great day in the field, made a little more difficult than usual by the rather fresh breeze, and the incessant activity from Canberra Airport from
8 o’clock onwards made hearing difficult at times, even at the most northerly part of the range.
Paul Fennell
Editor, COG Annual Bird Report
0407105460
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