Four birdos joined Richard Allen for a pleasant morning's atlassing of two sites in Tallaganda State Forest. Tallaganda lies on the crest of the Great Dividing Range; almost half of its area is old-growth forest, ranging from wet, giant old-growth to dry, rare old-growth. It provides important habitat for Barking and Powerful Owl, neither seen this trip. The area is currently being assessed under the Southern NSW Regional Forest Agreement process, which will decide whether any of it will be protected in future from logging and woodchipping.
After taking in the birding highlights of Hoskinstown (Pallid Cuckoo and Dollarbird), the morning cloud started breaking up and the sun peeked through for longer periods as the morning wore on.
Our first stop, a wet forest gully near Axel Road, yielded around 30 species with good views of the abundant Rufous Fantail, Crescent Honeyeater and Black-faced Monarch. Rose, Yellow and Flame Robin were also seen, as were Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo. Pilotbird had been seen on previous occasions at this site, but this time we were not in luck.
The short walking trails around our second stop, the pleasant Lowden Forest Park camping area, yielded essentially similar species. However, breeding activity was much more in evidence, with a pair of Satin Flycatchers observed building their (very) unobtrusive nest; Crested Shrike-tit seen taking food to nestlings (although foliage obscured the nest itself); and a Golden Whistler seen feeding dependent young. A Cicadabird was heard calling, but unfortunately was unable to be seen.
Tallaganda State Forest is probably the closest area to Canberra where coastal species can be readily seen. For this reason, and because it is a lovely wet forest environment, it is well recommended as a top local birding spot.
Julie McGuiness