Nature in Canberra

 This covers some photos of sightings around the ACT for 25 and 26 November.

The first few come from an outing to Jerrabomberra Wetlands on the 25th.  It has been said in the past that there are few breeding records for Eurasian Coot in the Canberra area.  They were making up for lost time as I saw at least 3 different broods at various sub-sites.

A basic photo.

This image is included because the adult appears to have grabbed the cootling's bum in its beak!
This shows the red down rather better
A Pied Stilt and a clutch of Pacific Black Ducklings.
A Welcome Swallow posed nicely ...
As did one of the many Australasian Reed Warblers.
The next images are of Grey-headed Flying Foxes in Commonwealth Park.  The colony seems bigger than usual this year.


Early in the day the bats are usually just dangling in the trees.  However something (either a mower underneath the colony or an active crane on Regatta Point) stirred them up on the 26th.


I called this a smoke-bush, because it looked smoky, but I really have no idea what it is.  Looking at Plantnet and Flora of Victoria it is nothing like the smoke bushes they have.  Fortunately and as usual my friend Alison has come to the rescue: it is an exotic, Cotinus coggygria.




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