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Hi all,
After some welcome rain the night before I headed off from
Canberra for the southern Tallaganda range (SE of Canberra) yesterday morning. The
route I took was down the Captain’s Flat Rd to Captain’s Flat, then
the Braidwood Rd over Parker’s Gap to where it joins the Cooma Rd. Then
south along the Cooma Rd (Shoalhaven Valley) stopping at Berlang, Wyanbene and
Snowball. Then over Pikes Saddle (Badja) skimming the edge of Deua NP and then
up Slap Up Fire Trail in Gourock NP. Followed this rocky trail over Slap Up Mtn
and Anembo Mtn and then down Anembo Rd. Then back north to Captain’s
Flat.
The highlight was good views of an adult Chestnut-rumped
Heathwren just off Wallaby Hill Rd at Wyanbene. It was on the edge of a
large expanse of allocasuarina nana dwarf heath high on a ridge. It gave
it’s scrubwren-like scolding call. I think the altitude is around
800-900m. Nearby in flowering banksia was a male Crescent Honeyeater
and some New Holland Honeyeaters among others and Yellow-tailed
Black-Cockatoos. Also stopped to watch a large snake crossing the road.
Grey-brown above with yellow-cream underbelly. It was in the allocasuarina
heath. Copperhead or Eastern Brown? Any comments welcome. When I got near it
rocketed back across in the road into cover. An Echidna was busy nearby.
Earlier along Rocky Pic Rd in Tallaganda NP I was able to
‘squeak’ in a male Olive Whistler, a Rose Robin and
several Eastern Whipbirds. No sign of any Pilotbirds this year. Superb
Lyrebirds were in full song and a family of three Crested Shrike-tits
was a great discovery. A Wedge-tailed Eagle soaring above Carwoola and a
dozen Dusky Woodswallows along the roadside.
No sign of any honeyeater migration as yet although there
were many Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, White-naped Honeyeaters and White-eared
Honeyeaters at Berlang (Deua NP) along the Shoalhaven in flowering
eucalypts.
A pair of Crested Pigeons at Togganoggera. Not sure whether
they are expanding their range down the Shoalhaven valley. Several Scarlet
Robins at Krawarree.
Along Slap Up Fire Trail (Gourock NP) I stopped every couple
of hundred metres. At least 4 Spotted Quail-thrush at 3 locations. Some
14 Flame Robins, 4 Gang-gang Cockatoos, again Superb Lyrebirds
sighted and heard, a large feral pig, 6 Satin Bowerbirds, another Rose
Robin and a family of Olive Whistlers (male, female and juvenile)
which came within two metres affording excellent views. Also no less than three
Echidnas.
Cheers
Marnix Zwankhuizen | Senior Analyst | Java Enterprise Technology
Australian Electoral Commission | PO Box 6172 | Kingston ACT 2604 | Phone +61 2
6271 4465 | Fax +61 2 6271 4644 | E-mail
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