Bungonia National Park is an interesting sandstone and limestone plateau above the Shoalhaven River about one and a half hours drive north-east of Canberra. There are several cave entrances we will pass and the floral community is quite different from Canberra’s. A range of interesting bird species such as Spotted Quail-thrush and Crested Shrike-tit are found in the park and there is a chance of more coastal birds as well such as Channel-billed Cuckoo. The plan is to walk the Green Trail from the David Reid picnic area to Adams Lookout and back again.
Distance: Approximately 4km return with moderate difficulty. If people feel up for it and we have time we could walk additional short walks from the picnic area.
Meeting time is 7:00 am for carpooling at the Lyneham Netball Centre (on Northbourne Ave just north of the Moaut St/Antill St traffic lights) and we will be returning to the carpooling point no later than 4:30pm.
Bring plenty of water, snacks and lunch.
To register please contact Ned Johnston at nedjohnston06@gmail.com with your name and phone number as well as the name and number of an emergency contact. Places will be limited to 16 participants in 4 vehicles.
A small group of five COG members left Canberra early on a fine October morning, arriving at Bungonia National Park 90 minutes later, deep in Gundagurra Country, in perfect sunny, still and mild conditions. The group registered at the office, before proceeding to the Lookdown Lookout carpark to take in the spectacular view over Bungonia Creek Gorge and the Shoalhaven district beyond. Welcome Swallows and Dusky Woodswallows glided overhead, and the calls of summer migrants, including Leaden Flycatcher, Olive-backed Oriole, Mistletoebird, Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, White-thoated Gerygone and Noisy Friarbird filled the cliff-top woodland soundscape. We made our way, at a birding pace, along the Green Track, hearing as many birds as were seen, appreciatinged that the birdsong chorus, while lovely to hear, was not so busy as to overwhelm the birding senses. Only Jacky Winters making some unfamiliar calls caused some momentary uncertainty. Jerrara Falls presented a wondrous sight, as La Nina-swollen creek waters thundered over rock orchid-decorated limestone cliff faces into a furious Bungonia Creek hundreds of metres below. At this site, a Brown Goshawk circled overhead – the first eBird listing for the park’s hotspot. We entered and descended into Mass Cave for a unique birding experience, hearing the calls of White-winged Choughs through an opening in the cave roof above; COG can now add subterranean birding to its list of activities. The seven hours of the visit flew by, as we made the best of its time in this scenic, but under-bird-surveyed national park – recording some 44 species for the day. Many thanks to Ned Johnston for leading this outing.
David Dedenczuk
