Location: Dick’s Creek Road, New South Wales, about 30 mins drive from Canberra. The general location can be found at -35.0056 149.1532. Note incorrect road name in March Newsletter
Description: The outing will be to a private conservation area not accessible to the general public. Bird surveys were conducted by the outing’s leader in autumn 2003, 2004 and 2005 and twice in spring 2003 and 2004. Our target species will be Spotted Quail-thrush, Superb Lyrebird and Chestnut-rumped Heathwren
Meeting time and place: Meet at the Hall Primary School, Hoskins Street, Hall at 7:15am Standard Time. We will carpool from there in four four-wheel drive vehicles.
Walking distance: A circular route of approximately 5-6 km
Degree of difficulty: The walk will be along vehicle tracks. Easy-medium, the terrain is hilly but general fitness would be adequate. There will be a down-hill section with loose gravel so the use of a walking pole is advised.
End time: We hope to start the walk around 8:00am with the walk taking about 2 ½ to 3 hours
What to bring: Water, morning tea, hat, sunscreen, sturdy shoes, insect repellent.
Numbers: Limited to 16.
Register with Chris Davey chris_davey@aapt.net.au Please provide your name, mobile number and the name and number of an emergency contact.
Name of leader and contact details: Chris Davey. MOB 0418 679 847.
Twelve members met at the Hall Primary School car park to car pool for the 30 minute drive to Picaree Hill, a private conservation reserve on Dick Creek’s Road.
The 800 h reserve consists of a variety of woodland habitats ranging from dry stony ridges to relatively lush creeks in the valleys. Of interest is that the area last experienced a wild fire in 1957, an interval of approximately 65 years and that there had been no stock in the area since 1990. The 7 km walk, in perfect weather, took 3 ½ hours during which we recorded 32 species, a good count considering the 67 species listed in the Management Plan for the area.
Half-way through the walk we stopped for morning tea at one of the five Tree Troff drinkers set up in the Sanctuary. A pair of Gang-gangs paid us a visit during our stop but did not use the facilities provided.
Most of the species recorded were expected for the type of habitat although a group of five interacting Scarlet Robins and a group of Varied Sittella were a bonus, whilst an adult Wedge-tailed Eagle with an attending begging young told us that it was time for the young to fend for itself. For a complete list of species seen see eBird Checklist – 1 May 2022 – Picaree Hill – 32 species
Many thanks to Deb and Christine Butt for allowing us access to the Reserve and to David Dedenczuk for keeping the bird list.
