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Tuesday 4 October 2022

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Walk with Yori late morning to the basin and then back via the ponds. No Australian Wood Duck family seen.  I was photographing what I took to be the pen CCL with her four cygnets, though I could not read this band without binoculars. Unfortunately, my Lumix FZ300 did not capture an image from which I could read the band. I am sure it was CCL. Suddenly, the scene changed dramatically with a fracas developing between an unidentified Black Swan (banded right leg inscribed Red) and the left leg banded RED inscribed BJB cob. It started as far as I was concerned when the two swans flew in from the S end of the Lake and landing in the basin. They were clearly in a pursuit flight and immediately on landing on the water a chase started. Maybe they had been in conflict before I saw them arrive but it was a fierce chase across the water to the beach continuing across the path and onto the grass (to the consternation of several walkers!) and back down onto the path where BJB stood over the ot...
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Wednesday 28 September 2022

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 A late afternoon walk with Yori down to the basin in JKMP where I saw the pair BJB and CCL with four cygnets near the beach. During a  stroll up to the Ginninderra Drive bridge I could not find any other Black Swans on this eastern arm of the lake.
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Saturday 24 September 2022

During a mid afternoon walk with Yori I found the brood with Red CCL and mate and they still had 4 cygnets. They were along the shoreline just N off the basin and the little bridge. In close to the shore and worried by seeing Yori. No sign of the nest that was just N of here with the second and still unidentified pair of which the Cob is certainly unbanded. Presumably the eggs have now hatched and the family must have been driven off by the pair mentioned above (or lost?). I need to survey the whole perimeter of the lake.  
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Tuesday 6 September 2022

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 Another stroll around JKMP looking for the Blue Bonnet – with no success! I checked out a total of 40 Red-rumped Parrots ; all ground feeding. I found 15 of them along in the wooded areas near the ponds but 35 were out on the open grassland area between Aikman Drive and the outdoor Basketball court. Nearly all of these parrots were in pairs but a few as trios – not always a male and two female/immature. sexranio therefore about 50/50. The Australian Wood Duc k brood of four ducklings were feeding on the north side of the pond as we passed by them. They went to the water; because they could see Your I suspect. The pair of Black Swan  (BJB and CCL) with their five cygnets were in the basin and for a while CCL  was carrying two cygnets on her back! My poor iPhone image is barely good enough but will do as a 'record shot'. Pair BJB and CCL with five cygnets; tow are on the back of the pen CCL. North the of bridge to the little island I came across the unmarked cob of the ne...
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Monday 5 September 2022

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 An early afternoon walk with Yori in JKMP, in part to see if I could find a  Blue Bonnet that for about a week has been see, most often in the company of  Red-rumped Parrots (first eBird report on 31 August 2022).   It is presumably an Eastern Blue Bonnet (listed as Greater Bluebonnet in eBird)   The Red-rumped Parrots have been feeding on other ground in several places – often below Casuarina trees but some have also been feeding in the extensive grasslands. I did not find it but I saw 18 Red-rumps, always in pairs or threes and, today, most of them were near at the junction of several paths near the wooden jetty S of the beach in the basin.  The Australian Wood Duck brood is still 4 ducklings. The other purpose of my walk was to follow up on the sighting of a pair of Black Swans with 5 cygnets. Sandra Henderson had reported them (with photo) in an eBird list for yesterday but I find another earlier listing on eBird of 5 cygnets being seen on 3 Septe...
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Tuesday 30 August 2022

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Much the same story as for two days ago. A dull, chilly and windy afternoon. The Australian Wood Duck family still on the same pond and still 4 s-hg ducklings. Several other AWDs on this pond, mostly in pairs. At least a dozen. Also present, a few Dusky Moorhen and a Little Pied Cormorant resting ashore on allow shrub. A Grey Butcherbird calling nearby up the slope to the S. The unbanded cob (presumed) Black Swan ashore in the JKMP lagoon or basin. He was here along with other waterbirds being fed. The presumed pen was sitting tight in the cold windy conditions on the nest. One Australian Grebe seen close to the swan on its nest.   At least 30 Red-rumped Parrot feeding on the ground below the dense Casuarinas close to and on the path round the N side of the basin (not far from the bridge to the little island). They have been here often over that past 3-4 weeks. Remarkable in that they pay little attention walkers, bikes or dogs and remain steadfastly feeding  
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Sunday 28 August

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 On my mid afternoon walk with Yori the, as yet unidentified, Black Swan was seen sitting tight on the nest. I presume this is the Pen, or female, but I have not yet had any chance to check for leg bands. The accompanying (presumed male, or Cob), was absent from anywhere nearby. This I have seen once before recently with no sign of 'him' in the JCMP or northwards up to the bridge on Ginninderra Drive. The swan's nest seemed even higher above the waterline but this might be because the water level has fallen a little on the lake after recent flooding. Eventually, I saw a Black Swan in the far distance, foraging along the eastern shore just beyond the Ginninderra Driveway bridge. Surely this is the Cob. The brood of Australian Wood Duck  at the largest pond (the one with a small island and often covered in Azolla ) is now down to 4 ducklings that look to me more like sh-  than s-sized ducklings. No Australasian Grebes were seen. Nothing else remarkable to report.  ...
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