Wednesday 19 July – Nadjung Mada Nature Reserve
Meet at 9am at the locked gate at the end of Morisset Rd, Mitchell. The vehicle track past the front entrance of Bimberi goes to the gate.
Note that the reserve gate is likely to be locked (there are sheep in the reserve) so participants will have to climb over the gate unless I can make other arrangements..
The reserve is quite new, but has mown tracks, many very old Yellow Box and much regrowth.
Please register with leader prior to the outing with name and number, and name and number of an emergency contact.
For all but two of the 15 participants on this walk, Nadjung Mada Nature Reserve was a new birding location.
Given there had been an overnight minimum of -6 degrees, we were very fortunate that the sun was shining and there was no wind, from the time we parked our cars until the finish of the walk. Ranger Michelle had kindly agreed to unlock the gate for us and our walk got off to an excellent start with a male Flame Robin seen perching on the high fence that separates the Reserve from the Bimberi Centre. It was in the company of a small flock of Superb Fairy-wrens. Almost straight after that Brown-headed Honeyeaters were heard calling, and we left the mown track to look for them. Three large Yellow Box trees were alive with birds, including the Brown-headed Honeyeaters, Silvereyes and a Grey Fantail. Also seen in this area was a pair of Scarlet Robins.
We were just leaving the robins when an excited cry of “Look up! Raptor!” had us viewing a Brown Falcon which was calling as it flew towards another tall Yellow Box where there was a nest and another falcon. Both birds were seen on the nest. Other occupants of the tree were a noisy group of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. A Black-shouldered Kite and a Wedge-tailed Eagle were seen later in the walk.
Also seen (or heard) in good numbers were Eastern Rosellas, Common Starlings, Weebills, Little Corellas, Galahs, Striated Pardalotes and Noisy Miners. A highlight towards the end of the walk was the sighting of five Golden-headed Cisticolas, one of which perched obligingly on a leafless hawthorn shrub, enabling all to get clear views. A total of 37 species was observed.
Thanks to Sandra and Margaret for taking us to another excellent birding location.
Wendy Whitham
