Report – Tuggeranong Hill NR  (Sun 8 November)

I was joined by some enthusiastic members, guests from the Tuggeranong Hill and Conder Wetlands Parkcare Group and, surprisingly, a friendly pair of first-time visitors to Canberra - all the way from California - for an exploration of the Tuggeranong Hill Nature Reserve. Conditions were ideal, with clear and calm skies. Some of the highlights of this enjoyable morning were:

• exploring a sheltered gully of the hill and seeing, amongst dense shrubbery, a lot of small birds, including Double-barred Finch, Buff-rumped Thornbill and Striated Thornbill;
• looking on high over the Murrumbidgee River as we enjoyed morning tea and watching a Noisy Friarbird returning to and from a nest in a nearby tree, as well as seeing the Striated Pardalote up-close;
• seeing an area of good quality grassland and recovering woodland, on the western side of the reserve, that was conserved through the efforts of local residents and will provide good habitat for birds in years to come;
• on the western side of the reserve visiting the Conder Wetlands, which is a good example of how to create bird habitat as a part of the urban storm water system. Seen here were Dusky Moorhen, Hardhead and an Australian Hobby soaring overhead; and
• watching a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo emerge slowly from a hollow in a large remnant Blakely's Red Gum.

This reserve contains some good recovering habitat for birds and hopefully COG can return for a field trip again in future years.

— Matthew Frawley