A full boat of COG members and their guests accompanied me on this crisp morning's visit to check on the nesting activity of darters and cormorants in Molonglo Reach. Despite it being well into autumn there was still considerable breeding activity, in fact this was more extensive than when we last checked in mid January. There were still many Darters nesting with over 55 adult birds (with good numbers of males in breeding plumage though many were immatures indicative of a very good season) seen and well over 20 nests (again some on the north bank) spread out along the Reach up to the water skiing area past the bridge on Dairy Road. These were still at all stages of breeding from birds sitting tight, to smallish chicks in the nest to large chicks sitting on or near the nest. There was also significant cormorant breeding activity with Little Black Cormorants (about 35 birds in total and over 10 nests, again at all stages of breeding) at the usual spot where the river widens appreciably. In amongst these were around 10 Great Cormorant nests, with young seen in several. This is only the second time that we've confirmed this species nesting in three years, and follows other reports of their breeding, for example at the Queanbeyan sewerage works. As for January, Little Pied Cormorants were low in number, but two nests were noted, one of which contained two young, at either end of the breeding activity.
In keeping with the mid-autumn timing, there was lots of other activity with a total of 43 species either seen or heard. The undoubted highlight of these was a mature White-bellied Sea-eagle, which we first saw high over being pursued by an Australian Raven. Some minutes later it was flushed from a tree close by the most prolific cormorant nesting spot (HANZAB confirms this species as commonly recorded taking juveniles from colonial nesters such as cormorants and darters). We also had good views of some of the dozen or so Cattle Egrets feeding close to stock on the banks of the Jerrabomberra Nature Reserve. Silvereyes seemed to be everywhere along the banks. Other birds not often seen along the Reach were a Fan-tailed Cuckoo, an Olive-backed Oriole and a number of Grey Teal. Several Double-barred Finches were also heard. There were also 3 Australian Shelduck loafing on the eastern shores of East Basin, and several male Mallards in amongst the birds being fed with bread on our arrival back provided quite a contrast from the other noticeably smaller ducks we'd been seeing.
Yet another very successful COG trip up the Molonglo River, and this now completes three years of these trips. In all of these there has been significant breeding, now confirmed for the main four species. With all the activity it was one of the busiest in the more than six trips that I've led, and one of the most enjoyable. Certainly there will be more opportunities for those members who haven't yet been, or would like a repeat next season.
Jack Holland