On the evening of 18 December 2018, the same day I had been out to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, the indefatigable JackyF organised a group of interested local residents to locate potential nesting hollows on the Federal Golf Course that backs on to Red Hill Nature Reserve. As this activity happened in the evening the light was already fading, challenging my ability to photograph birds. I wish my skill level was better so I could capture birds in this fading light. At the end of the walk we were really fortunate to see a group of Tawny Frogmouths, of which I have one passable image in this post. I hope you enjoy the pictures.
On the way to the meet-up I saw four Gang-gang Cockatoos (Callocephalon fimbriatum), a male, two females and possibly an immature male all in one tree. They were calling occasionally but there did not seem to be any tension between them.
Later on we saw another male near a tree hollow keeping us under observation.
The four Gang-gang;, staring from the upper left, a male with a possible immature male, a female in the top right and a another female at bottom centre
At a different location, a male Gang-gang keeps us under close watch
We were also fortunate to see two Dollarbirds (Eurystomus orientalis) fly from a tree where they may be nesting. They perched high in trees near the first tree while calling. These birds are annual visitors from Papua New Guinea where they spend most of the year before migrating to Australia in September for breeding. They depart Australia in March to April to return northwards.
One of the Dollarbirds we saw high in a tree
Walking through a strand of trees on the Federal Golf Course I saw these Sulphur-crested Cockatoos (Cacatua galerita) at a tree hollow. I am unsure if this was a nesting hollow or if they were feeding off something inside. They were both able to access the hollow at the same time. Thee birds are hollow breeders so activity at a hollow at this time of day may indicate a breeding hollow.
Two Sulphur-crested Cockatoos at a tree hollow
We heard a number of Tawny Frogmouths (Podargus strigoides) as dusk settled upon us but their booming call seemed to echo, making it hard to find them. As they are masters of camouflage it is easy to focus on the stump of a broken tree branch hoping to see a frogmouth, only to discover that it is indeed the stump of a broken tree branch. We saw five frogmouths flying low in trees on the northern side of the golf course where there is a lot of clearing happening. The photo below possibly shows a female on the left with an immature bird on the right, because of the short tail feathers. The female fed the immature bird while under observation.
Two Tawny Frogmouths with a possible immature bird on the right
I also saw this Black-headed Bull Ants’ nest in the strand of trees on the golf course.