Description: Mixed-eucalypt forest, including post-burn regeneration; garden around house. A range of forest species expected including Eastern Yellow Robin, White-throated Treecreeper, Superb Lyrebird, thornbills, Australian King Parrot, rosellas, Wonga Pigeon and Laughing Kookaburra, as well as spring/summer migrants.
Meeting time and place: 8.00 am, Spotlight car park, Queanbeyan for carpooling.
Walking distance: 4 km
Degree of difficulty: medium
End time (approx.): 12.00pm
What to bring: water, morning tea, hat, sunscreen, sturdy shoes
Registration: participants must register with the leader at least 36 hours in advance, providing their name and mobile number, and the name and mobile number of an emergency contact
Numbers limited: maximum of 16
Name of leaders and contact details: Peter Smith 0427 879 774 smith.peter899@gmail.com
A small party of experienced and neophyte birders attended the field trip to a private property near Hoskinstown just west of the top of the Great Divide on the border of Tallaganda National Park. The group of 9 included 4 Chinese ANU Students with a strong interest in conservation and one with birding experience in China. After a video and photographic description of the impact of the Black Range Fire in December 2019 on the flora of the site, and observing the local and feral mammals and birds that had been photographed after the fire, we spent a pleasant morning walking through the range of habitats – native grassland, Banksia forest and very tall Eucalyptus viminalis forest. It was a mostly sunny morning with some overcast spells and a couple of drops of rain at one point. Thirty-three species of birds were observed, as well as a snake (probably a Copperhead), and several orchid species.
