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On Monday 28 Sep, starting at 7.30, Barbara Allan and I surveyed the Woodland sub-sites on the Majura Training Area (MTA) formerly called the Majura Firing Range. It was a beautiful spring morning, bright sunshine and no wind, although a little cool earlier
on at 3 degrees Celsius.The range was lush, with all water storage full, and some areas still pretty soggy. The ground cover at most sites was well cropped, although we did not see a lot of kangaroos during the morning. Native flowers were in abundance, but
the dominant ground cover in many parts were Capeweed and Patersons Curse, quite attractive from a distance.
It was a reasonably quiet morning with not much excitement. We recorded 37 species on or around the sub-sites, including four species between: Crested Pigeon, Superb Fairy-wren, Collared Sparrowhawk and White-winged Chough.
There were a few summer migrants including Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Rufous Whistler, Noisy Friarbird, White-throated and Western Gerygones, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Grey Fantail, and a single sighting of a
Yellow-faced Honeyeater. However, apart from the Whistler and gerygones, the numbers were low.
Speckled Warbler was observed at one site, and a few thornbills were spotted here and there - Brown, Buff-rumped, Striated, and Yellow-rumped (dy). Weebill and Striated Pardalote were evident at many sites, but there was only one sighting of Silvereye.
As usual there were a few Sulphur-crested Cockatoo and Galah about, with Crimson Rosella at some sites, together with Red-rumped Parrot. Australian Magpie and Australian Raven were about, but very few Currawong. Laughing Kookaburra was heard at
a couple of sites, and a single observation of White-throated Treecreeper (there are generally more about).
At Mick’s Lake (a large farm dam actually} there were a few species - Grey Teal with dependent young, Pacific Black Duck, Australasian Grebe, Eurasian Coot and Wood Duck. The lake was almost empty in June, but is now overflowing.
Paul Fennell
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