Tharwa Sandwash

We will explore the Murrumbidgee corridor at Tharwa Sandwash, which is accessed just south of Tharwa from Smiths Rd.    Meet for carpooling in Lanyon Marketplace carpark at 9am, the section on the right as you turn in on Balcombe St.  Please come prepared for all weathers and wear sturdy footwear.  A couple of hours should be enough and we may visit Namadgi Visitors Centre afterwards if time allows.  Booking is essential.  Contact Lia Battisson at liabattisson@grapevine.com.au before 1 July; please provide your name and mobile number, and the name and number of an emergency contact.

Arrangements had been made to meet at Lanyon Marketplace for carpooling, but given the current situation with Covid 19 requirements, this was revised to give participants the option to go directly to Tharwa Sandwash.  Ultimately eleven members met at 9:15 am at Tharwa Sandwash.  It was cool, but still as we walked downstream for a short distance.  There were no waterbirds to be seen, but we heard White-winged Choughs and a small mixed feeding flock up by the road, so we went there for a look. Various thornbills were in the company of Grey Fantails.  We then followed the vehicular track upstream, as the walking track closer to the river is overgrown with weeds and taken over by wombats.  We did see a wombat, but he was very close to home and quickly disappeared.  Highlights were a brief look at a Speckled Warbler and a small flock of Red-browed Finches.  The leader had promised a chocolate frog to the person who found the resident pair of Tawny Frogmouths at the beginning of the outing.  They didn’t materialise until we had almost finished, within 30 metres of the carpark, where she spotted them herself.  A total of 30 species was observed by the group.

We then decided to go to Namadgi Visitors Centre.  There was nothing on the dam so we proceeded up towards the back fence to see if we could find the Jacky Winter that has been seen recently.  We didn’t find it but heard a Grey Currawong and were surprised to see a Western Gerygone.  Some of our party heard a Speckled Warbler and saw a Fan-tailed Cuckoo, which was being pursued by a Grey Butcherbird.  The wind increased and it was getting cold, so we didn’t spend much time there. In all 14 species were observed.