We will walk north along the corridor on the western side of the Murrumbidgee from the Tharwa Bridge. It is not a difficult walk and the round trip is probably about 5 kms. We will meet under the bridge at 8:30am. I won’t make any promises about the species that we might see.
As always, ensure that you have comfortable, sturdy footwear, sunscreen, hat and water. We will take our time, so bring something to nibble on as we go, because there is nowhere to sit along the way.
Bookings are essential. For enquiries and to book for this outing contact Lia Battisson by email: liabattisson@grapevine.com.au. Please supply your name and mobile number and the name and mobile number of an emergency contact person.
Nineteen members met at 08:30 in the carpark by the bridge over the Murrumbidgee River, at Tharwa. The river was flowing well, evidence of all the rain we have had in the district over the last 7-10 days. It was a glorious autumn day, despite an expectation that there may be fog, which was patchy on the way through the Tuggeranong Valley. We had a leisurely stroll and encountered a small mixed feeding flock early in the morning. We were looking into the sun, which was still low in the sky, so we relied heavily on calls to identify which species were included.
Some of the seasonal migrants were still around including White-throated and Western Gerygone, Rufous Whistler and Noisy Friarbird. Silvereyes, mainly the Tasmanian race, were prolific and Yellow-faced Honeyeaters were moving through in small numbers, with the largest flock numbering 20. No White-naped Honeyeaters were observed. A Scarlet Robin was heard and a few of us saw a Rose Robin. Four Australasian Darters circled overhead, ensuring nice views for everybody. Other highlights were Speckled Warbler, Dusky Woodswallow and Rainbow Bee-eaters. There was a little water still flowing over the causeway, which is just a couple of hundred metres from the end of the accessible track in any case, so we turned around there.
A total of forty-five species was observed.
Lia Battisson
