This morning walk will be aimed specifically to help beginners and new members identify bush birds and to learn about their behaviour and calls. The spring migrants will have returned and hopefully we will be able to find Olive-backed Oriole, Noisy Friarbird, Dollarbird and Leaden Flycatcher, as well as the resident species.
Meet at the main carpark on Bindubi Street at 8.30am. The walk will last for 2-3 hours.
Registration is essential; please provide your name and mobile phone number, as well as an emergency contact name and number. Book your place with Sue (email smlashko@gmail.com) who will be happy to discuss whether this outing is suitable for you. Please make sure to bring your binoculars and ACT 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.
The forecast for last day of November wasn’t good, but neither was it bad enough to cancel the trip, although I appreciated the sense of those who did cancel, especially those with children.
By 8:30, 4 people had arrived and it was still not raining heavily, so we stood under the little (very little) shelter provided by a tree, and all practised using binoculars. We also listened to Noisy Miner, of which there were several calling on both sides of Bindubi St, and discussed bird watching really being bird listening, much of the time. We also discussed the ‘quality’ of different bird species’ calls, and the extent to which that can be helpful in determining ‘what bird is that’.
We had a good look at a large black bird perched in the top of a dead tree across the road, especially noting the shape, length of tail, and whether there was any other colour than black in its plumage. However, it didn’t call, and we didn’t get a good enough view to see its throat hackles, so think, but couldn’t be sure, it was an Australian Raven.
We soon heard a Noisy Friarbird and saw it fly over, so we discussed comparing size, shape, silhouette (lighting conditions were not good) and flight pattern, as well as call, being useful for identification. Everyone got a good view of its undulating flight, even if the body was mainly a silhouette. We heard at least 2 or 3 more during our walk, which was good reinforcement for learning the call.
We heard at least two, maybe three, Olive-backed Oriole, but didn’t see any. I heard several Superb Fairy-wren and other small birds but didn’t venture into the wet scrub to try and make sure what they were. As the light and rain made it challenging to identify the small birds, we practised our ability to use shape and behaviour as well as call and plumage to identify birds.
The highlight of the morning was the Common Bronzewing which showed well on the fire trail. Even though the light wasn’t good we could see the lovely green-bronze wings, that it didn’t have a red-brown mantle, and at least some people could pick up the light ‘eye brow’ and pinkish colour on the chest, and we all got a good understanding of shape, size, movement and behaviour (feeding on the ground).
While watching the pigeon we saw a Pied Currawong, with distinctive plumage colours and shape, fly across the track. We heard, but didn’t see a Laughing Kookaburra.
Our good luck continued when we saw another Common Bronzewing slightly further up the track and, as it approached and fanned its tail at the first pigeon, the buff forehead and obviously brighter pinkish/rose breast were obvious and we were sure we were watching a courting pair; at least we were clear the male was courting, but we weren’t sure the female was keen.
One of the party then saw what they thought was the Currawong on the ground, in the bush, to the right of the track. Once encouraged to look carefully at the shape of the bird’s body and bill, and its eye colour, the party realised we had a White-winged Chough foraging close by, which quickly became two. This was a very good example of shape of body and bill, and eye colour, being as useful as plumage colour and size.
We also saw about six Crimson Rosella fly across the track. Their shape, size and colour left no doubt as to their ID, and as they were all clearly blue and crimson, none with any green in their plumage, we agreed the flock were all adults.
There was a large white bird at the top of the transmission tower. It wasn’t calling so we looked carefully at the top of its head and discerned the tell-tale yellow, curved plume of a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo.
A little further up the track, the bush on the right was more open, and the rain maybe slightly lighter, so we went in search of the birds which were calling. By then the group had improved their discernment of size, shape and behaviour, as well as the nature of calls, and soon found several Superb Fairy-wren, with the characteristic long tail, including a full-coloured male. We also spotted a Grey Fantail, which gave a great display of its characteristic fanning of tail and flight patterns, and we were able to associate its behaviour with its call. We also heard a Spotted Pardalote, and saw but didn’t clearly identify a thornbill.
The rain began to get heavier and, after an hour standing in rain, we were all a bit wet, so we headed back to cars well pleased to have become more discerning about bird shapes, sizes, colours (eyes and legs, as well as feathers), behaviour and calls under what were challenging conditions.
Michael Robbins
