Wednesday 27 May 2020 Mogareeka

Weather Willy had listed High Tide at Mogareeka entrance to be 11.58am 1.3m.  Accordingly a plan was made to meet at the reserve opposite the boat ramp at 10.00am for a 10.30 off.  Luckily we were all early as much had passed on the political scene in the week since we last got together and the more politically aware among us got stuck straight in and there was no hope of diverting them to the matter at hand, i.e. unloading the boats and getting ready to paddle, until all avenues and angles of the week's news had been delved into, explored and discussed.

The forecast breeze had not made an appearance and the water was like a millpond

Much to my amazement we made it onto the water at the appointed time and while everyone else was ready to head up stream, he who would like to be obeyed  makes a beeline for the entrance.

The Delta Queens in a huddle, no doubt discussing mutiny

But there was lots to look at up lead to the entrance, which at the moment is very narrow. Interestingly the tide was going out - quite strongly.  Which begs the question, had Willy Weather got the tide time wrong or had the entrance recently opened and water was flowing out to sea - or perhaps there is another explanation. Whatever the reason it put paid to our plans of a tide assisted passage up and back down the Bega River.

Spotted was this dark grey bird, which I think is a Grey Morph of the Eastern Reef Egret.
Am awaiting a better photo from one of our group, who shall at this point remain nameless!

And here they are - no need to resort to name and shame :)

The Grey Morph taking flight

We paddled back down the lead

and across the lagoon heading for the bridge

Once under the bridge we paddled around the south side of the island.  Is this some sort of erosion control?

After negotiating the shallow water around the back of the island we paddled up the river

passing this pair of Sea Eagles.

At 11.30pm we stopped at the sandy beach on the big bend for morning tea.
Taking to the water again at 12.20pm, L and I swapped boats so he could try the Castine 145 and its comfortable seating arrangement. We continued on up the river.

A cold breeze sprang up so we wove our way through some islands seeking shelter. At 1.05pm we found a sunny sheltered beach and decided to pull in for lunch.

After a break of approx 45 mins we donned our rain jackets, I reclaimed my boat - don't want to lose it - and we headed downstream into a cold head breeze,

seeking respite wherever we could.

A Great Egret hunting where we had stopped for morning tea

 
and a little further along the same beach, this bird

which, after scowering three different bird books, I have tentatively identified as a juvenile Crested Tern.  I am happy to be corrected.

Paddling steadily back down the river, we reached our put in point just before 3.30pm (as is usual with paddling, as we neared the bridge the cold breeze died away so at least we got to poddle the last 100 metres or so).
We were all a bit pooped and nursing various aches and pains so it took a while to unpack the boats, carry them across the beach to the car park and load them up and say our goodbyes. Christmas, then the fires and then the Covid-19 shut down have seriously impacted our paddle fitness! Or is it just age?
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12.8kms
5 hours

Trail Camera 21 to 25 May 2020

The bandicoot is back, actually he has been back a lot, busy undermining the pond, but he hasn't triggered the camera for a while.

Not much footage this week, only 205 images to wade through, the vast majority capturing Wonga Pigeons. Maybe the new position of the camera is not optimum for the side sensors to do their work.  There certainly aren't as many birds using the pond but I have seen far more usage than the camera is picking up.

The Bandicoot

drilling away with that long pointy nose

After a long drink Old Wal, the Swamp Wallaby has a good scratch and then is off about his business

Old Wal is recognisable by his chewed up ears

4 New Holland Honeyeaters and a Red Browed Finch.  The New Hollands seemed to have dispersed, we are not seeing the numbers we did in March and April

 Three Wonga Pigeons at the pond,

usually you only see one at a time

Trail Camera 15 - 21 May 2020

I changed the position of the camera this week and it wasn't successful. Although it caught lots of  Kangaroo and Wallaby action the sensors triggered only once for the birds.  So this blog entry is about behaviour rather than sitings.

'Allo 'allo, wot's this then?

Kangaroo and adolescent

See no evil

Two young kangaroos

The two young Kangaroos

Mum again, to give some idea of the size difference

Swamp Wallaby

Now you see me, now you don't!

Kangaroo mother and adolescent

Here they are again

Mum, I think is pretty old. Of the 5 kanga mum's that took up residence and raised their joeys in the garden during the drought and bushfires, she is the last still spending time in the garden. When they moved into the garden they were both fairly skinny and didn't have a lot of energy to spare hopping away from either L or me when we went outside. Consequently they quickly learn't we were no threat and it wasn't long before we were detouring round them instead of them avoiding us.

 Interestingly I still see her allowing him to nurse occasionally whereas during December and January we watched as many other mothers were weaning and/or leaving joeys less than half his size.

What is L doing in the shed?

And lastly the only bird footage the trail cam captured during this period:
Lewin's Honeyeater, Wonga Pigeon, then a New Holland Honeyeater arrives followed by a White Naped Honeyeater.

Monday 18 May 2020 Narira Creek

We had such a nice paddle on Wallaga Lake and Narira Creek last Friday it was decided to do a repeat performance but this time venture further up the Creek. We put in at Fairhaven Boat Ramp (if you can call it that) and upon our arrival we faced a very different atmosphere from last Friday.

The four of us set off at 8.04am

Sound was muted and a pelican in the distance stood out against the grey

The first bit of colour we come across, a mother duck and her brood which quickly hid themselves upon our approach

This pelican nonchalantly crossed in front of V

to join his mates

 We continued on up the creek

Next was this young Wedgetailed Eagle

who took flight as we approached

and flew across the river

to land in another dead tree (dead standing trees are very important to our wildlife - not only for perching but nesting as well. Gladys take note!). The eagle was quickly joined by a couple of Black-faced Cuckoo Shrikes.

Suddenly a land breeze hit as the mist flowed down the valley

A Great Egret flying by

We continued on up the creek past the entrance to Black Lagoon to the 3.17km mark intending to explore the lagoon that goes off to the right at that point however we had only proceeded approx 40 metres up the entrance to the lagoon before finding further progress blocked. The adjoining landowner, I suppose, having dumped a truck load of earth into the narrow channel to construct a vehicle crossing. So much for fish migration!

So we back-paddled our way out of the channel and crossed the creek to narrow sandy point to have a cup of tea. While we spent 30-40mins having a yak and a snack the last of the mist burned off and when we returned to the water under sunny blue sky.

We continued upstream for a further 1.13kms

to see where the January bush fire had reached.  (You can see where the fire reached on the Google Earth map, dated April this year, at the end of this entry.)
About 4.46km from our start point we paused for a moment

before turning around and heading back downstream.  Gulaga looms as we round this bend,

 heading toward where we had stopped for morning tea.

 We continued to glide downstream on the silky water,

 past interesting reflections

 After paddling about 3kms from our turn around point we turned into the entrance of Black Lagoon and at 10.55am found a spot to pull in for a last leg stretch and to finish the remains of our morning tea.

Sitting in a grassy paddock we chatted away for 35mins before taking to the water once more to resume our journey.
Heading down the backside of the island at the entrance to the creek.

We didn't get very far up the shallow entrance to the first lagoon, L finding further progress impeded by fallen branches - a pity as it looked interesting and on the map the lagoon looks as though it would be a haven for bird life.

Having made our way back to the creek and we paddled on to the entrance to the next lagoon and turned in

We poddled down the quiet and seemingly remote lagoon,

 just cruising along enjoying the scenery

We exited the glassy water of the lagoon into the choppy waters of Wallaga Lake and paddled past the numerous entrances into Narira Creek, arriving back at our launch site at 12.15pm.

A most enjoyable paddle.

10.5km
4hrs 10mins