Wednesday walk to ANBG and next month

[Martin Butterfield <>]

The editors of Gang-gang may wish to use the following as the trip report

21 members and guests gathered at the ANBG Visitors centre on a pleasant morning for a Winter Walk.  We were alerted to the place being likely to be crowded due to a dinosaur event bringing in a horde or two of small people.  Fortunately Lindell and Marion were able to devise a route that missed most of these for which I thank them.
Our first excitement was locating a Male Satin Bowerbird displaying to his lady friend.  She was later observed transporting leafy material to a nest almost directly above the bower, thus upgrading the breeding event from “display” to “nest building”.  Something to keep an eye on.
More excitement swiftly following with a sighting of a very cooperative Bassian Thrush feeding on the ground about 3m off the path in section 26.  Somewhat later in the bushland above the boundary of sections 70 and 73 a second Bassian Thrush was noted – unusually flying up to a branch  several metres off the ground.  When that bird departed it was joined by a another, making it a 3 thrush walk.
Eastern Yellow Robins were frequently seen, from the Sydney Gully upwards with a final count of 10 for the outing.  As we came down outside the Rainforest Gulley a beautiful male Rose Robin was seen.  It was very active and my photos were ungood, but everyone good a fair look at him.
Honeyeaters were a tad light on for diversity, despite quite a lot of blossom, but we saw/heard decent numbers of Red Wattlebird, New Holland Honeyeater and Eastern Spinebill.
Overall we recorded 28 species which with some of them being corkers was a fair outcome for a mid-Winter walk.  As well as the Bowerbirds breeding was also firing up for Australian Wood Duck (Inspecting hollow) and Australian Magpie (nest building).A full list is at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S58239149 (including a 29th species seen by a member who stayed on to spot the Rose Robin )

I have done a blog post with a few photos and humorous quips here. 

The Editors of Gang-gang may wish to add to the forthcoming walks the plan for the August outing (as shown in the COG website:);

Tour Hall village and ovals.  Meet at Junction of Victoria and Gladstone Streets at 9am on 14 August.

Martin Butterfield

http://franmart.blogspot.com.au/