13 participants made it to the start of the second birding by bicycle tour of Central and West Basins of Lake Burley Griffin. The weather was cool at the start and remained so when we made the first stop at Nerang Pool to check (very optimistically, given the fireworks display the previous evening) that the Lewin’s Rail had not made a re-appearance. We were rewarded with a Great Egret flying in to the opposite side of the pool and remaining in position next to a White-faced Heron.
Moving right along we stopped next at Aspen Island to check for Pied Cormorants and were rewarded with three posing in the usual spot on the next island to the west. We saw the complete set here with Great, Little Black and Little Pied Cormorants and Darters all visible in the same spot.
The next two stops were primarily intended to check moored boats for signs of nesting Silver Gulls but the boats were all clean. Passing by Yarralumla Nursery a Yellow Thornbill was heard, but did not oblige with a good sighting. By now the day had warmed up and the traffic on the bike path was quite heavy; these factors may have conspired to reduce the bird presence in Westbourne Woods.
Arriving at Acacia Inlet Park the high water level of the lake was evident. Here we were treated to a great display of formation feeding by some 30 Little Black Cormorants together with a few Little Pied and Great members of that family. Little Black Cormorants continued to be the focus at the final stop on the bike path between Black Mountain Peninsula and Sullivan’s Creek. A good number of nests were visible and most had tiny chick-heads emerging from underneath the adult on the nest. Two Darter nests were also easily seen, one with three large fluffy chicks posing nicely for the camera.
Altogether 47 species were recorded. Reviewing the list afterwards I noticed that we didn’t see any Common Mynas nor House Sparrows. Also missing from the list were a number of common species including Galah and Laughing Kookaburra: possibly recorder (me) error. Many thanks to those who turned up and especially Jack Holland for comments from his knowledge of the area and his duty as tail-end Charlie!
Martin Butterfield.