Square Rock Hike in Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve is a wonderful trail that is both easy and scenic. I was accompanying my son on the hike as part of our routine bush walks. The trail was very popular on that Saturday, with the car park already filling up by the time that we arrived. We met a number of people on the trail and up at the actual Square Rock lookout. There was a lot of wonderful birdlife as well as some Spencer’s Skinks, which seemed relatively accustomed to the presence of humans. I hope you enjoy the photographs below.
A screen shot of our route using Google Earth
A view from the area at Square Rock back towards Canberra city, with the Captain Cook water spout being the white object in the distance, about 35 km away
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 100mm, f/16 and 1/320 SEC])
A Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) was calling the moment we hopped out of the car. The area near the car park was not that open but I guess there was enough space for the lapwing to have a nest as the bird appeared to be protecting a nesting location. The lapwing appeared to be accustomed to cars and people in the car park, as it was not trying to scare away the people getting out of their cars and heading off for hikes.
Masked Lapwing near the carpark
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
A Willie Wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) was on a log just as the track started. The bird appeared to be looking for food.
Willie Wagtail on a log
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
A Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides) was perched high in a dead tree just as the trail entered some trees. the kestrel was looking around, possibly for a meal, but did not move from the perch as we walked past. Given the brown head covering, this bird is most likely a female.
Nankeen Kestrel perched on a dead tree
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/800 SEC])
There were a number of Grey Shrike-thrushes (Colluricincla harmonica) along the trail, with their calls keeping us entertained as we walked along.
Grey Shrike-thrush
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
A number of White-eared Honeyeaters (Lichenostomus leucotis) were present in the trees once we got further into the walk. The birds were regularly calling but keeping to the foliage in the trees making them hard to see as well as to photograph.
White-eared Honeyeater
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/5.6 and 1/320 SEC])
There was a female Flame Robin (Petroica phoenicea) on the same log as the Willie Wagtail at the start of the walk. unlike the wagtail, she was successful with a large, juicy caterpillar in her beak. She did not eat the caterpillar there, but hit it against the log a few times before flying off with it, possibly to feed some young birds. The male and female were both in the car park area when we returned. They appeared to be accustomed to humans, not being perturbed by the number of people moving around.
A male Flame Robin
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/640 SEC])
A female Flame Robin
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/5.6 and 1/320 SEC])
There was a pair of Spencers’ Skinks (Pseudemoia spenceri) on the left-hand side of the trail as we returned. The first lizard was sunning itself on a log. It did not like the attention and by incremental moves, headed to the sawn end of a log. It was joined by a second lizard, who almost seemed to appear from the log to help the first lizard. The original lizard disappeared into the log, while the second one stayed outside. I thought it was interesting behaviour for a lizard to disappear into the log while one stayed outside. I wonder if people feed the lizard and hence why they are so accustomed to humans.
Spencers’ Skink on a log
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 200mm, f/16 and 1/125 SEC])
A head close-up
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/250 SEC])