Forde Ponds

The walk will start from the carpark entrance to Mulligans Flat  near Amy Ackman and Cleggett St. We will  walk north to Hibberd St and  down to Mulligans Flat Road to see the hotspot for rails and crakes, Fairy Martin nests under the bridge and twin ponds on the Bonner side, then follow the path on the Forde side to Horse Park Drive, then back. There is good coffee at Forde shops.

Twenty-eight members and guests gathered at the Mulligans Flat car park. As we headed off a number of Superb Parrots were seen on the grass and in the trees.  Little Corellas were heard and seen as were Red-rumped Parrots as we walked along the bike path which follows the route of the old Gundaroo Rd.

On reaching the creek we were almost immediately greeted by the sight of an Australian Spotted Crake skulking at the base of some reeds.  A little later a second bird was sighted a bit further away.  In terms of aging it was concluded we saw one adult and one juvenile.

At the ponds in Bonner a number of Hardhead and some recently fledged Pacific Black Ducks were seen together with some stripe-headed Australasian Grebes (ie. recent chicks).  Australian Reed-Warblers were still evident in the reeds and Golden-headed Cisticolas were in the fringing vegetation.  The Fairy Martins appeared to be elsewhere and were not recorded.

Returning to the creek we got to the underpass and almost immediately saw a Buff-banded Rail.  Eventually two immature birds (determined by the incomplete development of the buff band) paraded or dashed – I am not sure of the taxonomy of gaits – back and forth for our delight.

The total score was 41 species.

Martin Butterfield