Meet at 8am at the Pine Island North car park (turn right at first junction when entering on Pine Island Road and follow to the end). Note that the Pine Island gates are opened at 8am, so you won’t be able to arrive earlier by car.
The walk will explore the Murrumbidgee River Corridor between Pine Island and Tuggeranong Creek and will take 2-3 hours. Bring plenty of water, sunscreen and morning tea. If there is a total fire ban declared on the day, the outing will not go ahead. Numbers are not limited so no requirement to register. Contact Matthew Frawley at frawley.matthew@gmail if you have any questions.
A dozen enthusiastic people met at Pine Island reserve on a warm summer morning to explore the Murrumbidgee River Corridor, north of Pine Island to its junction with Tuggeranong Creek. Whilst still within the Pine Island reserve we saw European Goldfinch, Laughing Kookaburra and an array of regular bird species. As the trail lead closer to the river we were able to see and hear a variety of smaller birds, such as Silvereye, Spotted and Striated Pardalote and Superb Fairy-wren. We were grateful when the track brought us under the shade of mature River She-oaks, giving some relief from the increasingly hot sun. Along the river a few members saw Yellow Thornbill, and also seen were Red-browed Finch. It was enjoyable to listen to the regular calls of summer along the river, which included Rainbow Bee-eater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Dollarbird, Mistletoebird, Rufous Whistler and Noisy Friarbird.
We enjoyed a rest at the half way mark, in the shade of trees overgrowing the remnant Tuggerang Dry Stone Wall, which was built in the 19th century to divide two properties of the region. We were entertained by the Leaden Flycatcher before heading back to Pine Island along the Bicentennial National Trail, between the river and the Tuggeranong Town Centre. This area was of interest to members as it was put under the spotlight last year for potential urban development. On the way back we saw Noisy Miner, Crested Pigeon, Australian Magpie and Magpie-lark, amongst others. We stopped along the way to get a close look at an Eastern Blue-tongue basking in the sun on the path, and also admired some of the native flowers, such as Bluebells, Common and Sticky Everlastings and Blue Devils. The temperature was warming considerably by the time we arrived back at Pine Island, and with a very hot day in prospect, we concluded the outing. Thank you to Sandra Henderson for recording all the bird species and entering them online.