Mark Tindale

Meet at 8am at Namadgi Visitor Centre (Naas Rd, Tharwa) for carpooling to the depot.

Glendale Depot is a very good hotspot within Namadgi National Park. Highlights at this time of year may include a variety of cuckoos, Brown-headed and Crescent Honeyeaters, Jacky Winters and a wide variety of other woodland species. The walk will be partly on tracks, but there will be some wandering through grassland. There are some slopes to be walked, but of course we’ll be walking very slowly. We’ll be there around three hours, with an estimated return to the Visitor Centre by noon. As usual, ensure you have sturdy shoes, sunscreen, hat and water.

Register with Mark at markjtindale@yahoo.com.au with your name and mobile number, and the name and number of an emergency contact by 14 August.

Margaret Robertson

Meet at 9am at the Reserve carpark off Wickens Pl, Fraser.

It is some time since the Wednesday walkers visited this reserve and we could expect Common Bronzewing and Superb Parrot. The tracks wend across and around the hill and we may visit the trig point. As usual, wear sturdy footwear, and take water and a hat.

Register at mrgrtrbrtsn14@gmail.com with your name and phone number and name and number of your emergency contact.

Lia Battisson

Description:  Umbagong District Park has Ginninderra Creek running through the middle of it.  Canberra Birds last had a field trip there in September of 2023. It will be an easy walk of 4-5km over flat ground.

Meeting place: Meet in the car park off Florey Dr, 250 metres south of Herron Cres, opposite 87 Florey Drive.

Meeting time:  Meet at 8:20 for an 8:30 start.

End time (approx.): 11:30

What to bring: Water and Water and a snack, if desired, sunscreen, a hat and sturdy shoes.

Name of leader and contact details:  Please register with the leader, by email to liabattisson@outlook.com, providing your name and mobile number, and the name and mobile number of an emergency contact.  Do so before 7pm on Friday 28 August as numbers will be limited to 15.

Peter Miller

Description: A walk through mixed Eucalypt woodland along the lower slopes of the southern end of Mt Majura, possibly onto the northern end of Mt Ainslie. Target species would include woodland birds such as Scarlet Robin, Speckled Warbler, Buff-rumped Thornbill,  and possibly some early migrants if the winter is as warm as predicted.

eBird hotspots: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L1436201

Meeting time and place: 8 am Mackenzie Street Gate, Hackett, literally 2 houses north of Grayson St on the east side of the road, parking in the lot or on the street https://maps.app.goo.gl/WRKKcaVnEsx7HFEy7

Walking distance: 2-4 km depending on the birds

Degree of difficulty: medium – we will probably be off trail for much of it but the walking is fairly open and relatively flat

End time (approx.): 10:30 am

What to bring: water, morning tea, hat, sunscreen, good birding vibes

Registration: Participants must register by email to peter.miller4722@gmail.com  by 6:00 PM Friday, Sept 4, providing their name and mobile number, and the name and mobile number of an emergency contact; please use the email to register

Numbers limited: yes to 20

Sandra Henderson

This is an interesting area near Googong which includes a known rock climbing site (White Rocks) and I believe is looked after by Landcare.  

Meet at 8.00am at the roadside parking area about 500m along Wickerslack Lane from Old Cooma Rd. This walk will be partly off-track to White Rocks, then back along a track to the cars. As usual, wear sturdy shoes and a hat. Register with Sandra (shirmax2931@gmail.com) with your name and number, and the name and number of an emergency contact.

Julian Teh & Sue Lashko

A one-day pelagic has been booked, departing from Eden at 7am to approximately 3pm.  Cost will be about $170.  The boat holds just 12 passengers, so early booking is recommended.  

Register at smlashko@gmail.com with your name and mobile number, and the name and number of an emergency contact.

Sue Lashko and Julian Teh

Nicki Taws

We will visit a private property where the landholders have undertaken significant revegetation over the last 10 years, and where we are likely to find a variety of woodland birds. We will be walking up to 4 kms depending on the weather and the birds, on different surfaces, including rough rocky tracks and off track with some hills.  

Meet at Sutton Primary School at 7.30am for carpooling. We will be back there by 12:00.  

Wear sturdy boots, a hat and appropriate clothing for the weather. Bring water and morning tea.  

Register with the leader Nicki Taws by email ntaws@bigpond.com 0408210736, by Friday 18 September with name and mobile number, and the name and mobile number of an emergency contact. The trip will be limited to 20 participants. 

Julie McGuiness

On this morning walk we will amble west along Vanity Crossing fire trail from the locked gate in Pierces Creek Forest to the Crossing itself on the Cotter River (3.2km), then return the same way (total walking distance 6.4km).  The trail is undulating through tall dry forest with significant shrubby understorey in parts, with a couple of short somewhat steeper sections.  There are views to Cotter River as it widens into the reservoir.

Possible birds include the usual forest species as well as Crescent, New Holland and (with much luck) Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters, Speckled Warbler, Wonga Pigeon and Fan-tailed Cuckoo. 

Meet at 8am for carpooling at the small carpark on Cotter Road at its junction with Paddys River Road (ie directly opposite Cotter Avenue).   Limit 12 people.   Late morning end time expected.  Bring water, snacks, walking shoes, and walking poles if desired.

Please register with Julie at julie.mcguiness@gmail.com and include your name, phone number, and the name and number of an emergency contact.

Marcus Hellyer

Part 1: Monday 28 September to Friday 2 October – Macquarie Marshes

Part 2: Friday 2 October to Wednesday 7 October – Binnaway area

On this trip we will be exploring the area around the little town of Binnaway in central NSW on the Castlereagh River. We’ll be based in a private property that is a native plant nursery a few minutes out of town.

The trip will take place over the October Labour Day weekend, which hopefully will give working people an opportunity to participate.

Binnaway is around six hours drive from Canberra. We’ll aim to arrive on the afternoon of Friday 2 October and leave early on Wednesday 7 October. People are of course welcome to arrive later or leave earlier.

The itinerary is loose at the moment but will likely include:

• A day exploring the property, which is a haven for honeyeaters.
• A day exploring the Binnaway region.
• Day trips potentially to Coonabarabran, the Warrumbungles and/or the Pilliga.

There is space to camp on the property. There is a small number of bedrooms in an unoccupied second house on the property which can be claimed by whoever gets back to me first. There is also affordable accommodation in Binnaway at the Railway Heritage Barracks: https://www.facebook.com/binnawayrailwaybarracks2395/

Binnaway sits near the boundary of the Great Dividing Range and the western plains and is on the Castlereagh River so there should be a good variety of birds. It will be spring so there should also be a good selection of returning migrants. It’s also wildflower season and our hosts are wildflower experts so we should get good tips on the best sites to visit.

The number of participants will be capped at 16.

But wait, there’s more! Before Binnaway I’ll be visiting the Macquarie Marshes, which are a huge Ramsar wetland in northern NSW. I’ll be camping at Willie Retreat, a cattle station on the edge of the marshes that offers powered ($40) and unpowered campsites ($30) and bathroom facilities: https://willieretreat2824.wixsite.com/willie-retreat

There’s meant to be good birdwatching at Willie Retreat itself, with Brolgas and Glossy Ibis and even sightings of Australasian Bittern and Australian Painted Snipe. However, staying there provides access to several other great activities in the marshes:

• It’s about 20 minutes’ drive from Burrima Boardwalk. Built by local landowners and conservationists, the 2km long boardwalk allows you to walk out into the marshes. It’s a great spot. I visited about four years ago and have been wanting to go back ever since. The cost per car is $25 but I think you can get multiple visits for that: https://burrimamacquariemarshes.com/
• Macquarie Marshes kayak tours. These guided paddling tours get you out into the middle of the marshes, which are normally inaccessible. The price for a 2 ½ hour paddle is $150: https://www.macquariemarsheskayaktours.com.au/
• NSW NPS Macquarie Marshes wading and walking tour. As the name suggests, this is a walk through the marshes themselves where you get wet… This activity costs $30: https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/guided-tours/macquarie-marshes-wading-and-nature-walk

The kayak and wading tours are only held in spring. The wading tour is not offered every day and it looks like Tuesday 29 October is the only date that will work for us. It’s up to you to book accommodation and activities for yourselves but I’m planning on the following itinerary:

• Monday 28 Sept: drive to Willie Retreat, probably via Parkes (around 7 hours).
• Tuesday 29 Sept: wading/walking tour in morning, Burrima boardwalk in afternoon/evening and spotlighting.
• Wednesday 30 Sept: morning kayak tour. There is also an afternoon/evening one which I might do as well. There are only four participants in each session (six if we go as a group) so don’t leave booking until the last minute!
• Thursday 1 October: general birding including Burrima boardwalk.
• Friday 2 October: relocate to Binnaway via Gilgandra, which has some birding opportunities (around 3 hour drive).

You are very welcome to just do the Macquarie Marshes or the Binnaway half of the trip.

Of course, everything will depend on the fuel situation. We had to cancel the planned Easter camping trip to western NSW earlier this year due to fuel shortages and uncertainty. Hopefully we’ll have better luck this time. It probably makes sense to carpool if possible. I can fit one or two people and their gear in my ute, but you would need to work with my itinerary. I can also put people looking to carpool in touch with each other.

If you have questions, feel free to contact me on 0418 264 868 or at pickelbarrel@gmail.com

Bill Graham

Description. Lake Road includes farmland, a large farm dam, woodland, grassland and the southern end of Lake George. Species observed include Red-browed and Double-barred Finch, Swamp Harrier, Red-kneed Dotterel, Australian Shelduck and Rufous Whistler.  We will have lunch at Bungendore Common with wetlands that have contained Australian Darter, Yellow-billed Spoonbill and Chestnut Teal.

Meeting Time and place. Spotlight carpark, 6 Bungendore Road, Queanbeyan at 7.30 am for carpooling.

Suggested contribution to the driver $10.

Degree of Difficulty: Easy.

Walking distance: Lake Road 1 km, Bungendore Common 2 km. Approx end time 3.00pm.

What to bring: Water, morning tea, lunch, hat and sunscreen

Participants must register with the leader by email to bsgraham1948@gmail.com by Friday 2 October with name and mobile number, and the name and mobile number of an emergency contact.

Anthony Overs

This morning walk will be aimed specifically to help beginners and new members identify birds and to learn about their behaviour and calls. The Botanic Gardens are especially suitable for such an outing, as they allow the opportunity to observe a range of local bush birds in a variety of habitats. Due to the available food supply, they are also a relative haven for birds during spring. Anthony Overs will lead this outing, which will consist of a stroll through this lovely part of Canberra for a couple of hours. Meet at 9.15am at the ANBG bus shelter. Registration is essential; please provide your name and mobile phone number, as well as an emergency contact name and number. Book your place with Anthony (0419202155, or anthony.overs@gmail.com), who will be happy to discuss whether this outing is suitable for you. Please make sure to bring your binoculars and field guide. If you do not have binoculars, please let me know as COG can supply you with a pair to use on the day.

Note that the aim of the walk is to introduce you to bird-watching, not bird photography, so please leave your camera at home.

Nicki Taws

Canberra Birds will continue with the K2C surveys that have been running since April 2010. The surveyed properties have healthy populations of many of the rarer woodland birds such as Diamond Firetail, Hooded Robin and Speckled Warbler. We will be visiting the same sites to continue the monitoring and see if spring migrants have arrived. The surveys will be undertaken in ‘blitz’ fashion; that is, observers in small groups will visit a number of sites on one or more properties before regrouping for lunch and a sharing of the survey’s findings. Less experienced observers are welcome to join in the survey as each team will have at least one experienced observer. Anyone interested in participating is asked to contact Nicki Taws before Wednesday 7 October. Email: ntaws@bigpond.com or 0408 210 736.

Kim Farley

At the March meeting, member Rainer Rehwinkel gave us a presentation on the birds of three of the Travelling Stock Reserves around Bungendore. Such was the interest, a trip is now offered to several of these Reserves. We will meet at 8:00am and drive on to Bungendore. The walks will be on flat ground, or near so. Wear sturdy shoes, bring a hat and a snack. Finish time is about 12.30pm.

As numbers are limited, please register by email to kimlouisefarley@gmail.com. Include your name and mobile number, and the name and mobile number of an emergency contact.  More detail on the meeting place, etc, will be sent when you register.

Julie Hotchin

John Brannan

Kim Farley & Rainer Rehwinkel

Jack Holland

Julie McGuiness

Sue Lashko

Sue Lashko

Lia Battisson