Birding sites
As I traveled to spots around the area today I decided to do a little birding as well as chores.
In the morning I went to the Bungendore Cultural Centre, where the tip was very muddy. I had passed Darmody's paddocks on the way in to the village and the trees above his feeding station were rather full of cockatoos. The Sulphur-crested Cockatoos stand out well against the clouds, but the Galahs evident when scanned with binoculars are not.
There were a few (~6) Australian Shelduck visible in the paddocks but no Plumed Whistling Ducks (PWD).
Passing the the Sewage Works a few Australasian Shovelers and Pink-eared ducks were seen but no PWD here either. My destination was Lake Road whicjh even damper than the tip.
The wetness hadn't really started to build up in the big dam, and while a little water was visible in Lake George it was only in the area inside the dashed blue line in this image from Google Earth.
To give a scale the red line is equivalent to 2.5km!
Coming back to the main road it was evident that the sign warning of stock on the road was deficient in species.
The little ones are very cute.
In the afternoon I had some spare time in Queanbeyan so swung by the Sewage Works there. (Thanks for allowing access Queanbeyan Council.) This comprises three main ponds.
In Summer, pond three had been covered with birds but they have largely moved on as rain has provided other wet areas. However pond 2 had quite a few birds including some Pink-eared Ducks.
I haven't previously noticed Little Pied Cormorants perching on power lines. Perhaps this one is so thick it looks like a very long branch or vine?
Peering closely at this flocklet of Grey Teal I first noticed a couple of Hardhead. Then my attention was grabbed by the ski-jump bill on the 4th bird from the right.
Giving all ducks close attention I concluded there were at least 4 Freckled Duck on this pond. An excellent sighting.
In the morning I went to the Bungendore Cultural Centre, where the tip was very muddy. I had passed Darmody's paddocks on the way in to the village and the trees above his feeding station were rather full of cockatoos. The Sulphur-crested Cockatoos stand out well against the clouds, but the Galahs evident when scanned with binoculars are not.
There were a few (~6) Australian Shelduck visible in the paddocks but no Plumed Whistling Ducks (PWD).
Passing the the Sewage Works a few Australasian Shovelers and Pink-eared ducks were seen but no PWD here either. My destination was Lake Road whicjh even damper than the tip.
The wetness hadn't really started to build up in the big dam, and while a little water was visible in Lake George it was only in the area inside the dashed blue line in this image from Google Earth.
To give a scale the red line is equivalent to 2.5km!
Coming back to the main road it was evident that the sign warning of stock on the road was deficient in species.
The little ones are very cute.
In the afternoon I had some spare time in Queanbeyan so swung by the Sewage Works there. (Thanks for allowing access Queanbeyan Council.) This comprises three main ponds.
In Summer, pond three had been covered with birds but they have largely moved on as rain has provided other wet areas. However pond 2 had quite a few birds including some Pink-eared Ducks.
I haven't previously noticed Little Pied Cormorants perching on power lines. Perhaps this one is so thick it looks like a very long branch or vine?
Peering closely at this flocklet of Grey Teal I first noticed a couple of Hardhead. Then my attention was grabbed by the ski-jump bill on the 4th bird from the right.
Giving all ducks close attention I concluded there were at least 4 Freckled Duck on this pond. An excellent sighting.
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