This is a chance to see lots of Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters, and many other species if we’re lucky. When I was there a few weeks ago I also found three Spotted Quail-thrush on the road near the local rubbish tip!
Meet at the ACT Motor Registry in Couranga Cres, Hume at 8am for carpooling (the Motor Registry is not open at weekends and has a sealed offstreet parking area). We will then travel to Numeralla and check out an area along the Numeralla River, and the Badja River Reserve.
Bring morning tea and lunch, and if time and enthusiasm permits, we may check out a reserve in Cooma on the way back. We may be joined by several interested locals at Numeralla.
Registration essential. Please contact Sandra Henderson at shirmax2931@gmail.com
Twelve members and guests met at very windy Hume to carpool to Numeralla. On arrival we were met by Mark and Jim, interested birders from the Numeralla area.
Our first stop was the Numeralla River on Jacobs Lane where, despite the very blustery conditions, some hardy Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters were sighted. A Pallid Cuckoo could be heard, and was finally tracked down, clinging to a wire. A robin along the riverside track was eventually identified as a female Hooded Robin, and a Fan-tailed Cuckoo was seen by some members of the group.
We then moved on to the Badja River Reserve in the township, only briefly detained by a male Hooded Robin not far from the cemetery. The wind was continuing to gain strength as we arrived at the Reserve, where two Fan-tailed Cuckoos were perched on wires in the back garden of the house next to the reserve. A short walk along the river near the bridge allowed good views of Dusky Woodswallows, Red-rumped Parrots (which the locals said were not all that common around Numeralla) and some Yellow-rumped Thornbills.
The windy conditions meant we did not call into North Ridge in Cooma, opting instead for the Swainsona Reserve in Royalla. Here we found a pair of Nankeen Kestrels at a tree hollow, with the female sitting at the entrance for much of the time. Other birds of note in the same reserve were another Pallid Cuckoo and an Olive-backed Oriole.
