Brooks Hill Reserve is on the Kings Highway. Often passed, but less frequently visited, the reserve car-park is located on the right hand side at the bottom of the last hill before the flat stretch leading to Bungendore.
We’ll plan to walk back up the old highway and then through the bush, which is fairly open, and not especially uneven ground, back to the car park. We’ll be out for about 2 to 3 hours, depending on how many birds are around, so those that need a mid-morning snack should bring one, as well as water, sunscreen and appropriate clothing.
Meet Michael Robbins (mrobbins@home.netspeed.com.au) at 8 am at Spotlight, Queanbeyan for carpooling, or 8:30 am at the reserve parking area.
Seventeen stalwart COG members assembled in the fog at the Brooks Hill Nature Reserve carpark, and immediately recorded a Pied Currawong (the only one for the day!!). The leader suggested reversing the planned route to increase the probability of being in the sun. A good idea but the fog didn’t comply. Some of the mistletoe was flowering so we studied it closely, but an Eastern Spinebill was all we noted using it. However, we got a good view of a White-eared Honeyeater perched at the top of a dead tree. We then didn’t see or hear much else until a mysterious call had us in hot pursuit. After chasing various calls we finally saw the caller, a Brown Thornbill doing good mimicry of White-browed Scrubwren, Buff-rumped Thornbill and what was probably a whistler call. Soon after this, near the top of the hill, and with a patch of weak sun, we scored: a flock of Varied Sittella, one of which was kind enough to feed in clear view so that all the new birders got a good look, along with Scarlet Robin (male and female), several White-throated Treecreeper, some Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Striated Thornbill, Buff-rumped Thornbill, Golden Whistler (female) and Grey Shrike-thrush to add to our list. This was the most productive birding we had during the morning although, on our return down the old road, we did add Superb Fairy-wren, Crimson Rosella, Grey Fantail and Australian Magpie.
