Fifteen members and visitors participated in the annual visit to the Tidbinbilla nature trails to observe the Superb Lyrebirds at the beginning of the breeding season. After a delay in gaining access to the reserve (the gate was still locked at 0920 hours!) we met at the Nature Trails Car Park and were immediately struck by the silence: not a single lyrebird calling.
After some discussion of the fascinating biology of this species, and hearing its own calls and mimicry from Ed Slater's tape recording, we set off, half the group on the Cascade Trail and half on the Lyrebird Trail. None of us saw any lyrebirds but all heard some and observed scratchings, droppings and display mounds. Other good observations included a Wonga Pigeon. Based on a number of visits to the area over the previous month, and my annual count of active display mounds, I speculate that the drought may have resulted in a reduction in the abundance of food in the soil and leaf litter and a concomitant deferral of Superb Lyrebird breeding this year.
David McDonald