The threat of being caught well away from the cars due to the uncertain weather lead to a consensus vote from the 10 members and guests who joined Jenny Bounds and me to do a walk of the best birding spots in Goorooyarroo rather than the advertised car shuffle/walk from the Mulligans Flat car park through this newer reserve.
This started off well as from the car park we could observe an Australian Hobby bending over, appearing to be feeding chicks in a large nest in a tree just inside the reserve, and then fly to another tree to join its mate when the harassment from the Noisy Miners became too vigorous. Later on half of the group had very good views of this species making a stoop through a flock of Welcome Swallows and Tree Martins, only to come up empty handed.
Our next highlight was a lone Southern Whiteface high in a dead tree, though we could hear at least one other calling nearby, but the best birds of the day were encountered in a feeding flock well into the reserve. The undoubted highlight was a male Hooded Robin who was seen on both the way up and back, and particularly on return afforded great views in his best Fathers Day attire as he typically fed by perching and pouncing in front of us. His partner was much more reticent, but did appear towards the end, allowing the group to contrast her rather dull plumage. During this time a lone Varied Sitella was also in view, at one time so close that two threatened species were easily within binocular view. A pair of Speckled Warblers on the ground nearby was also special.
Altogether 37 species were seen or heard during the morning, including many migrating Striated Pardalote (with the Spotted only heard at one spot), four Common Bronzewing on the wing after being flushed together, and a recently returned male Rufous Whistler. There were lots of Weebills and several Brown-headed Honeyeaters calling but staying well out of view, as did a Western Gerygone, also recently returned from its winter sojourn. A surprise was a pair of Little Corellas inspecting a nest hole, indicating this rapidly spreading species is also starting to use the rural, as supposed to the city, areas
My thanks to Jenny Bounds for adjusting her timetable by giving up her Fathers Day and agreeing to lead this walk. Her familiarity with the area and its bird life and also the plans for the future were greatly appreciated by all participants, many of whom, like me, were visiting this impressive and large reserve so close to Canberra for the first time.
Jack Holland