In exploring the undoubtedly strong connection between Canberra and the Freckled Duck I put those terms into the National Library’s TROVE searchbase. Among the items in the glittering mini-trove I recovered was a 1978 piece by Dick Schodde,
then COG president, and Grahame Clarke. This argued the case for a waterbird refuge to be established on the ‘desolate wasteland’ sometimes described as the ‘East Basin swamps’. Part of this is below. The bird references include the ones I cited in my earlier
message. Like ‘glamorous reed warbler’, a species so pleased with the reserve that it can’t help talking about it.
From: Canberrabirds
<> On Behalf Of Geoffrey Dabb via Canberrabirds
Sent: Monday, 10 February 2025 10:21 AM
To: Canberrabirds <>
Subject: [Canberrabirds] WOTSIT again - more puzzling text
Below are extracts from a publication I came across recently. Hints: after John Gould and before the first Pizzey field guide. Place described? Date and authors?
‘The birds of …’
‘The endemic freckled duck, which has been shown by research to be an aberrant goose, is also found there from time to time …’
‘A number of small birds also seclude themselves in tall banks of reeds for shelter and nesting. The most obvious of these – from its continuous brilliant song in spring months – is the glamorous reed warbler …’
‘Cattle egrets, which reached Australia from Asia only in the last several decades are occasionally seen in groups in the pastures along the edge of swamps at the east end of the lake ..’
‘Patterned in white black and grey … it is usually seen gliding on upturned wings over fields, particularly towards dusk.’
