Hardheads Breeding - Another Update

[Julie Clark via Canberrabirds <>]

Hi All,

I've been visiting the three Gungahlin sites where Hardhead breeding has occurred and thought some might be interested in my latest observations and photos.

• Mulanggari Grasslands - visited on Jan 5 - poor view of the ducks as they were in floating vegetation on the far side of the dam, but I could only account for four of the five chicks.
• Valley Ave - brood of five still present and it's interesting to see the plumage development on these older birds.
• Valley Ave - a second brood of one chick sighted first on Jan 5 and seen subsequently.
• Mulligan's Big Dam - brood of 8 seen again on Jan 5, but couldn't spot them yesterday
• Mulligan's Big Dam - brood of one seen again on Jan 5 & 7
• Mulligan's Big Dam  - interesting sighting yesterday - a single chick hiding in vegetation at the water's edge and swam away as I approached. There were no adults in the vicinity. The brood of one had already passed by with both adults and I didn't see the large brood. Unsure if this is a separate brood or possibly one of the eight. Great photos of this one.
  

I haven't visited Jerrabomberra again and will probably just focus on the broods closer to home.

The present count is now 5 Gungahlin broods and possibly a sixth.

Photos of all sightings have been added to my Flickr album.

m("N08/albums/72157717655837556","//www.flickr.com/photos/140414659");">https:

Cheers

Julie

--

Julie Clark

 

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