Our Activities

Past Events

Uriarra

Sunday 17 January 08:00
Sue Lashko

This is COG’s regular outing to Uriarra, which always finds some interesting species.

Meet Bruce Lindenmayer at the big dam near Uriarra Homestead, corner of Cotter and Uriarra Roads at 8.30am. PLEASE NOTE THERE ARE TWO SUCH INTERSECTIONS, the other near the suburb of Duffy. Just continue on either road until you reach Uriarra. After some time at and around the dam, we will go to Uriarra Crossing and Stony Creek and then come back to Uriarra Crossing East for lunch, where there are picnic tables and toilets.

Post event report

The first outing for 2021 began as usual at Uriarra Homestead dam with 28 participants enjoying perfect weather for birding: mild, still and sunny. Among the 38 species recorded at the large and small dam and the surrounding area were a female Musk Duck, two Nankeen Night Herons, two Black-fronted Dotterels, and a steady stream of Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos flying over. Our next stop was Uriarra West where a short walk along the riverside yielded 24 species, the highlight of which was a female Satin Bowerbird feeding a juvenile with butterflies which the adult de-winged before presenting them to its offspring. An Olive-backed Oriole was on a nest, a White-faced Heron did a fly-over and the usual array of small bush birds kept us busy. At Uriarra East picnic area, despite lots of picnickers, swimmers and dogs, we recorded 37 species.  Breeding activity included Leaden Flycatchers ON, Galah FY, Noisy Friarbird ON, NY and FY, White-winged Chough ON and juvenile Olive-backed Oriole and Willie Wagtail. Raptors put on a good show with a pair each of Wedge-tailed Eagles and Nankeen Kestrels, and a Brown Falcon. Many people had not visited Stony Creek Nature Reserve so we did a short walk into the first section of the reserve. A Dollarbird flew over on the way in but then obligingly perched to give good views on our way out.  The resident Pied Butcherbirds with their two offspring showed well, with one of the offspring hassling a perched Nankeen Kestrel. The most notable absentee for the morning was Rainbow Bee-eater. The total of 60 species was a good introduction to ACT birds for the birding newcomers who joined the morning outing. Sue Lashko