Mulligans Flat North

Meet at Mulligan’s Flat north carpark at 0800. Turn off Horse Park Dr at Mulligan’s F lat Rd, go 2km nth to carpark. We will walk the perimeter of nearly 5 km taking about 3 hours. It includes part of the ACT/NSW border. Wear sturdy shoes and hat, bring water and morning tea. A reasonable level of fitness is required. This is dry eucalypt woodland with a good mix of species. (The walk goes towards Oak Hill but stops short. That can be another day from a closer starting point).

Ten folk joined the walk in North Mulligans on a mild autumn morning. A total of 47 species was recorded. The walk began on the Bicentennial Track then followed the main gully down passing four dams. The raptors seen were: Collared Sparrowhawk, Nankeen Kestrel, Australian Hobby and Black –shouldered Kite. The autumn migration was underway with an aggregation of 20 Noisy Friarbirds and 5 Olive-backed Orioles. A mob of 17 Pied Currawongs followed then into woodland in NSW near a vineyard where they were all put up by bird-scaring gunshot. A highlight was the sighting of 5 Yellow Thornbills high up in the foliage and 3 Mistletoebirds giving different calls. Both Western and White-throated Gerygones were present as well as a Golden Whistler. Five Scarlet Robins and three Common Bronzewings added to the tally. Two Australian King Parrots, not usually reported here, were heard at the start. Although there were big stretches of silence along the border track, this was remedied by mixed feeding flocks and other sightings in the gully.