The hardy of COG do well in the wind

This month's Wednesday walk was to the Deep South of the ACT.

Yesterday the weather was such that we were thinking of the Deep South of Australia (say Macquarie Island).  This led one member of COG to issue a predictive cartoon of the walk, led by the Carwoola Progress Association.  ( I will come back to the cartoon at the foot of this report.)

Although the BoM forecast was OK many wimpy members of the group were absent.  However the 10 who turned up had a great time.  While the sky cleared and the track was dry there was a good flow in the Murrumbidgee.

The expected flowering of Grevillea juniperina was evident soon after we started.  There were more flowers of other species and some photos follow the bird images.

 As it was windy few of the birds posed for photos.  This Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo was an exception.

Only 4 ​honeyeaters were observed (Yellow-faced Honeyeater; Eastern Spinebill, Red Wattlebird and Noisy Friarbird).  ​T​he Yellow-faced Honeyeaters were in large numbers ​of small groups ​all along the route.  Grey Fantails were also present in an overall large number but mainly 1s and 2s.  A surprise sighting was 4 Leaden Flycatchers of which at least 3 were males.  This is my poor image of one of them.​.

Here is a much much better image taken by Lindell.  This shows the band across the breast bending down.  That is rated by one expert as diagnostic of Satin Flycatcher - as is the colour.  Thanks to A Nonny Mouse (I wish I knew who you were) for their comment which led to review of this ID

 I felt I had to take a snap of this Crimson Rosella coming for a drink at Point Hut.

 In the stream was a female (note the marking on the tertials) Pacific Black Duck with her surviving duckling.

 I am unsure what this plant was (other than well represented and pretty).  Sandra has worked out  - see her comment below - that it is Phebalium squamulosum ozothamnoides.

 Grevillea lanigera -  a bit further towards Point Hut.

Hakea microcarpa, also flowering in profusion.

 Note the spines on Discaria pubescens: an uncommon plant and even less common in flower.

I will note that this post is a tad late as I had to go to Fyshwick after a member of COG advised that the first White-winged Black Tern ever in the ACT was at the Fyshwick Poo Pits, readily visible from outside the fence!  Woo hoo!  A great big tick.  At a fair distance it looked somewhat like the bird in the cartoon!