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Private property at Wallaces Gap near Braidwood

Sunday 26 April 07:15
Ben Bradey

Today’s walk will cover three properties across a variety of habitats and all property owners are keen bird watchers, happy to share their experiences and special places with visitors. It will be the first time that Canberra Birds have been to this location.

We will start at the highest point of our trip leader’s property (Ben), descending through the Silvertop Ash forest. We should at least hear Eastern Yellow Robin and Superb Lyrebirds. Gang-gang Cpckatoos and Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos are often seen in this area along with Spotted Quail-thrush and Grey Currawongs. As we reach the valley floor, we will enter Lucy’s property dominated by Black Wattle and Black Sheoak, a favourite food source of the Glossy Black-Cockatoo. We can expect to see where they have been feeding although they normally only appear at dusk.

Next we will make our way to Mareshell’s property and stop for a quick morning tea (BYO) in their sheltered courtyard. The Peppermint Gums nearby are host to many small birds including Yellow-rumped, Striated and Brown Thornbills, both pardalotes, Varied Sittellas, and Crescent, White-naped, New Holland, Brown-headed andWhite-eared Honeyeaters. Satin Bowerbirds are regularly seen here as well.

We then follow a wet gully (Black-faced Monarch and Yellow-tufted Honeyeater each seen once) to nearby Brick Kiln Creek. The wide creek bed contains thick strands of tea tree and we will hear many birds within the bushes, but need to wait patiently on the bank for them to appear as they fly up into the Snow and Ribbon Gums nearby. Sacred and Azure Kingfishers have been observed near the creek.

Our walk continues along the creek with the adjacent Snow Gum-grassy woodland landscape providing habitat for robins, swallows and thornbills. A short uphill section (option for a car shuffle) leads up to Ben’s house where we will stop for lunch (BYO) to enjoy the view (and birds) from the deck. With luck the resident Wedge-tailed Eagle may now be spotted tracing the invisible thermals high above.

Our drivers will be taken back to the start in order to retrieve their cars and save everybody a long walk back up the hill. Keep an eye out for herons on the nearby farm dams as we leave.

The walk is about 3kms, mostly flat or downhill and mostly on driveways or bush tracks. Wear suitable footwear in case we decide to go off-track. Walking poles optional. Bring water and food for the trip. Toilets are available at each property if needed.

Meet at Spotlight Queanbeyan at 7:15am for a 70 minute drive to the property. Suggested contribution for drivers if carpooling is $10 – please bring correct money.

End time is approximately 2pm before returning to Queanbeyan soon after 3pm.

Please register with Ben Bradey (bbradeyau@yahoo.com.au) and include your name, phone number, and name and number of an emergency contact.

Post event report

The fog had just lifted and the forest was awakening at 9am when 15 birders arrived at the first of three private properties on today’s trip. On the road outside Lucy’s property we were treated to three of the Thornbills regularly seen in the area (Striated, Brown and Buff-rumped). Not far away were Spotted and Striated Pardalotes which could easily be heard before they were seen. Yellow-faced, White-eared and White-naped Honeyeaters and one Eastern Yellow Robin were also spotted amongst the tall trees. As we travelled through Lucy’s property, we saw the scratchings of Superb Lyrebird but unfortunately they weren’t around when we passed by. Lucy said we’d missed them by 30 minutes. Descending down the hill into Mareshell’s property we came across the highlight of our trip – 4 Varied Sitella with everybody obtaining a good view of their acrobatics at close range. Nearby we also saw Eastern Spinebill and the ever-present Red Wattlebird. Descending lower into the valley, we passed through a grove of mature Silver Banksia – favourite habitat of the 5 New Holland Honeyeaters seen feeding in the flowers. Moving onto Ben’s property, we could hear a few different calls along the creek line but the birds evaded our keen eye. We took a short detour to a patch of Snow Gums that often play host to Scarlet Robin. Luck was on our side and we all had excellent views of a male and female. Time was getting on, so after 2.5km and 3 hours in the field we made our way back to the cars and had a pleasant lunch enjoying the view of the Shoalhaven River valley below and the mountains beyond. Interestingly we didn’t see many of the medium or large birds that usually inhabit these areas; it was mainly small woodland birds seen on today’s outing. Lia kindly finalised the eBird list with 27 species observed. Thanks to the three property owners for each giving us a guided tour of their well-cared-for land in this seldom-visited area. Ben Bradey

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