A group of 21 people joined me for a leisurely stroll through the lower parts of the gardens on a still and warm Saturday afternoon, to learn more about our local birds. Interestingly, around a half were not COG members, having seen the advert on the COG website or were friends of members.
We started with a wander past the lower gully and stream area, where the Eastern Water Dragons were around, and then onto the lawn adjacent to the Education Centre. Good views of Spotted Pardalotes, male and female feeding in the leaves of low branches, Superb-Fairy Wrens (male in eclipse plumage) and male and female Wood Duck on the lawns. Other sightings as we moved along were a Grey Currawong on a bird bath, a male Grey Shrike-thrush, Grey Fantail, New Holland Honeyeater, Eastern Spinebill and Common Bronzewing, plus a few of the little brown birds like Brown Thornbill, as usual playing hard to find.
During the walk I talked about some of the clues or pointers for identifying birds, such as size, shape, field marks, differences between males and females, as well as information about the different habitat niches of the various birds seen. Everyone seemed to enjoy the couple of hours there, although the band playing on the eucalyptus lawn provided an unusual backdrop to a bird walk.
There are 2 more beginners walks scheduled on the program, the next one in June on a Sunday morning - watch the trips page or see Gang-gang for details.
Jenny Bounds