Northern Suburbs Branch, 18 February 2025

About a dozen members attended our Greet and Eat meeting to start the year. For the first time in many years, the temperature wasn’t in the high thirties. The cooler weather was ideal for our walk around part of Star Swamp and was appreciated by the numerous birds we observed. Even without leaving the environment centre, we could hear dozens of Forest Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos in the trees just outside the entrance.

Once outside, we watched them drinking at the water station installed by the City of Stirling last year. We could also spot several young birds in high branches who were not game to fight their parents for water. Along the path, numerous Tree Martins were busy crisscrossing the sky. A Goshawk was our next observation. Further on, a lone New Holland Honeyeater entertained us from high up a dead banksia. As we neared the end of our walk, the unmistakable calls of many Red Wattlebirds echoed through the Tuarts. The Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos were still busy calling as we returned, but there was one last surprise. It took some time, but eventually, we could spot the two young Tawny Frogmouths roosting in a tree in the carpark.

After our walk, it was time to fire up the barbeque and to catch up with friends.

Don Poynton