Peter it sounds like we should have a field trip along there!
Regards
Lia
> On 9 May 2024, at 20:07, Peter Miller <> wrote:
>
> HI Everyone,
>
> So, I'm really lucky in that on my ride to and from work; I get to traverse
> some paddocks, starting behind EPIC, riding along the old Well Station road
> that runs past the new Kenny School, and then across Wells Station Drive
> along the back of Harrison.
>
> Anyway, it often affords some good incidental birding, and in the last 4
> years of rain it has become an absolute hot spot for Cisticola's, which I
> would see/hear on 9/10 trips. There was a also a small flock of quail around
> for a few days last week-Stubble Quail if you believe what the guides say,
> that they, and not Brown drop tail first into cover after flushing. There are
> often some little feeding flocks along the remnant road or paddock trees too,
> and you get a fair smattering of birds of prey: there is a pair of Black
> Shouldered Kites around which are no doubt building a nest somewhere
> nearby-or planning to anyway. You get the idea, it makes riding to work very
> enjoyable.
>
> As well as the open-country, I get a little bit of water-birding, first in
> the ephemeral pond just before the dirt part of Old Wells station road-this
> has a resident Black Fronted Dotterel Pair which have successfully bred at
> least once in the last few years and also occasionally kicks up a spoonbill
> as well as the more common Maned Ducks, and occasionally grey teal. Then I've
> got the headwaters of Sullivan's Creek through the paddocks-a good spot for
> Whitefaced Herons and occasionally Black Ducks.
>
> And finally, as I cross under Flemington way I follow Gungaderra Creek for
> maybe 100m. Now usually, I would expect purple swamp hens, or maybe the odd
> moorhen, but not tonight.
>
> I was a bit late (for me) so as I rode along mildly cursing the rain, the
> light was fading as I crossed the creek to the west of Flemington; I had been
> contemplating salvaging a water bottle that I'd noticed a couple of weeks ago
> and was thinking this might be a good night to do that as I was a bit damp
> already (it was going to require removal of shoes and a wade!). However, what
> should I see as I looked at the waterbottle (wondering after all if it really
> was worth taking my shoes off) but a tiny little fist sized, seemingly all
> black bird with a little short cocked tail; ooooooh, so cute; the light
> really wasn't great but I could see that the back was actually a dark
> brown-but that was the extent of the fieldmarks I could make out. I'm not an
> expert on crakes, but I'd place good money on it being a Spotless Crake; it's
> feathers weren't juvenile looking, and it didn't look out of proportion, and
> it moved with the confident feeding movement of an adult, so I rule out any
> sort of late chick; and with it's colouration, I don't think it could be
> anything else. I couldn't see a red eye, or even the white spots on the
> undertail but it was facing towards me and I only had about 5 seconds as it
> waded out from behind some rushes and then back in again.
>
> Anyway, absolutely magic, and it quite changed how I viewed the rain, as I'm
> sure dampness and dimness encouraged out in the open: of course it's fun to
> speculate as well-has it been hiding in those rushes for the last x years,
> and I've never known, or is a post-breeding dispersal?
>
> I don't imagine I will ever see it there again, but you can be sure I'll be
> looking as you always do when have seen something special, I remember when....
>
> Thanks for letting me share, birding is always better in company. :)
>
> cheers,
>
> Peter
>
> --
> This is the email announcement and discussion list of the Canberra
> Ornithologists Group.
> Emails posted to the list that exceed 2 MB (2,000 kB) in size, including
> attachments, will be rejected.
> All emails distributed via the list are archived at
> http://bioacoustics.cse.unsw.edu.au/archives/html/canberrabirds. It is a
> condition of list membership that you agree to your contributions being
> archived.
>
> Canberrabirds mailing list
>
> https://lists.canberrabirds.org.au/mailman/listinfo/canberrabirds
--
This is the email announcement and discussion list of the Canberra
Ornithologists Group.
Emails posted to the list that exceed 2 MB (2,000 kB) in size, including
attachments, will be rejected.
All emails distributed via the list are archived at
http://bioacoustics.cse.unsw.edu.au/archives/html/canberrabirds. It is a
condition of list membership that you agree to your contributions being
archived.
Canberrabirds mailing list
https://lists.canberrabirds.org.au/mailman/listinfo/canberrabirds
|
