Start time: 9.00am. Finish around 11.00am
Description: This walk begins in the Botanic Gardens car park, crosses Black Mt Drive and then sidles around the southern side of Black Mt to a lookout with good views over the lake. The walk is through open forest and is a little over 3km return. The track itself involves some up and down, including some steps, and is rocky in parts, so solid footwear is recommended. Spring wildflowers should be in bloom and we hope for some of the returning migrant bird species.
Meeting time and place: Meet at 9.00am in the lower car park inside the Botanic Gardens, closest to Black Mt Drive.
Limit of 12 participants.
Register with Wendy Whitham by email to wendywhitham617@gmail.com with your name and mobile phone number, and the name and number of an emergency contact. If you need to ring me on the day, my mobile number is 0419 589 420.
Twelve members and guests met at the lower car park inside the Botanic Gardens on a pleasant and sunny spring morning for a walk along the track which sidles around the southern side of Black Mountain to a lookout with good views over the lake. The walk is through open forest and is a little over 3kilometres return. At the meeting point in the Botanic Gardens, we were welcomed by a family of Superb Fairy-wrens and, after crossing Black Mountain Road, by the raucous behaviour of a group of Red Wattlebirds and a Eurasian Blackbird with a Noisy Friarbird calling in the background. Walking through the forest, many small forest birds were active and calling including Weebill, Striated Thornbill, Grey Fantail, White-throated Treecreepers, Brown Thornbill, Spotted and Striated Pardalotes and White-browed Scrubwren. Many of the group saw (and all would have heard) a Fan-tailed Cuckoo while some also saw a Varied Sittella. The highlight of the walk was an Australian Owlet Nightjar peering out from its hollow in a eucalypt beside the track. A pair of Australian King-Parrots appeared to be inspecting a nesting hollow before being chased off by a pair of Crimson Rosellas. Towards the end of the walk was an active White-winged Chough’s nest with a bird apparently incubating. The walk ends at a lookout with a good view of Lake Burley Griffin. On our return to the cars, we found a small group of Red-browed Firetails. A total of 27 species was recorded. In addition, many of the group saw an Eastern Brown Snake which crossed the track behind us. A number of spring wildflowers were in bloom including Stypandra, Pimelia, Hardenbergia, Indigofera and several orchids.
Ian McMahon
