About 15 members joined me on a hot morning for this local outing. It was a further opportunity for me to check on changes in bird life since the census work I carried out in the area while the lake and associated ponds were being constructed and filled in the second half of the 1980s. Certainly it seems the impact of these changes is rather major. Apart from all the buildings that weren't there in 1985, the extensive plantings and the slashing of the grass under the planted saplings/bushes etc have changed the habitat irretrievably from the former large areas of improved pastures (if phalaris fits that description!) with its complement of grassland birds such as skylarks, pipits etc. Together with the now permanently full water levels and relatively steep sides compared with the constant fluctuations and the resulting exposed mud of the past, much of the former birdlife appears to have gone elsewhere, to be replaced in particular with a much larger range of 'bush' birds.
Despite the heat, we managed to have a pleasant couple of hours watching a range of birds, while we circled the 'silt trap' in a clockwise fashion, using the shade provided by the new plantings as much as we could. A fairly standard suite of deeper water birds were present, comprising White-faced Heron, Pacific Black Duck, Australian Wood Duck, Eurasian Coot and Dusky Moorhen (including immatures of both species), Purple Swamphen (in much larger numbers than was the case a few years ago, and typically venturing well out onto the dry grass to feed), and Masked Lapwing. We also obtained very good views of three species of cormorant (Great, Little Black and Little Pied) on several occasions in the same frame, allowing easy comparison of the diagnostic features. Not seen was the Black-fronted Dotterel, common in past times, which appears no longer suited by the lack of muddy margins.
Of the passerines often associated with water, only the Clamorous Reed Warbler was seen in several spots (including carrying food to an apparent fledgling) though it only called intermittently and briefly. As suspected from other recent visits, the Golden-headed Cisticola seems to have left the area, or at least is very difficult to find, though some apparently suitable habitat remains. On the other hand 'bush' birds were more plentiful, including Red-rumped Parrot, Welcome Swallow, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Willie Wagtail, Red Wattlebird, Noisy Friarbird, Weebill, Superb Fairy-wren, Silvereye, House Sparrow, Magpie-lark, Australian Magpie, Australia Raven, New Holland Honeyeater (somewhat of a surprise), European Goldfinch, Common Starling and the ever present Common Myna (my experience during censusing was that this species colonised the new suburbs very quickly).
However, 'grassland' species were very inconspicuous, even Richard's Pipit was not seen or heard, though some are known to remain in the area from previous visits. The Skylark, formerly common around the lakes, particularly singing aloft, was also not observed. Though my previous experience indicates that they are much less obvious at this time of the year as few call during February and autumn, I doubt many (if any) remain in the area. This also applies to the less common (for the ACT) Singing Bushlark, which for a number of years could be readily located in the area around the Isabella and Drakeford Drives roundabout, where the habitat now seems to be unsuitable, including much of it being under housing.
Finally, I must apologise again to those who were confused by the change in meeting place, and by my giving the incorrect street name, which was the result of it being spread over the edge of two pages in my Street Directory !
Jack Holland