Wednesday walk – Palmerville Heritage Park, McKellar
Meet at the heritage park carpark on Owen Dixon Drive in McKellar at 08:00. Expect to see reputedly the oldest living English oaks in the ACT, a bay tree, Lombardy poplars and the National Landcare Forest. eBird lists around 80 species for the site. The easy walk will be on gravel paths and the newly completed raised boardwalk.
Time permitting, we will also visit the nearby Giralang Pond. Access is via a formed path underneath Gundaroo Drive. Nankeen Night Herons are regularly seen and Latham’s Snipe are visitors to the pond.
Take a hat, water and wear appropriate footwear.
Register with Margaret at mrgrtrbrtsn14@gmail.com with your name, mobile number and the name and number of an emergency contact.
Post event report
We met at the Palmerville Heritage Park, a new location for many of us. A heritage trail has been created, with information signs giving some history of the settlement, and a new boardwalk over the sometimes boggy areas. Double-barred and Red-browed Finches, Golden-headed Cisticolas and Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos were some of the more interesting of the 29 species seen.
It was only a short walk to Giralang Pond, where we searched without success for Nankeen Night Herons. A Great Egret, Royal Spoonbill, Latham’s Snipe and a White-faced Heron were among the 36 species recorded at this location.
Thanks to Richard for the bird lists, and Margaret for leading the walk.
Sandra Henderson
