Observations were made from the picnic area on the northern side of the pondage and from the south-west corner.

The afternoon walk was under quite warm conditions with no air movement. Despite this, twenty seven species of bird were seen on and around the pondage.

Lunch time list.

Grey Butcherbird      Pied Currawong       Pacific Black Duck        
White Ibis            Black Swan           Hoary-headed Grebe        
Red Wattlebird        Great Cormorant      Musk Duck                 
Magpie                Coot                 Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
Magpie Lark

The south-west corner. The party moved to the south-west section of the pondage and scanned the water and walked part of the track on the southern bank.This habitat consisted of willows (beginning to drop leaves), reed beds, wattles including Blackwoods, some eucalypts and an understorey of dense varied growth. The birds seen along this stretch were:

Grey fantail           Silvereye           Brown Thornbill           
Red-browed Firetail    Superb fairy-wren   Yellow-faced Honeyeater   
Crimson Rosella        Welcome Swallow     White-browed Scrub-wren 
Golden Whistler (male) Yellow Robin 

and on the water the additional birds:

Great Crested Grebe    Chestnut Teal

There were large rafts of Coots and a further six black Swans. Trout, approx 30-35 cm in length were jumping clear of the water.

Piniger Lookout. The group drove to the Mt Piniger Lookout. A Black Wallaby was observed on the road to the lookout. Members appreciated the view of the reservoir, the dam wall, and the construction work underway to improve the strength of the top section of the wall, and the view of the ranges to the west.

(Contributed)

1: Eildon Pondage looking southwards to Mt Torbreck.
2: Swan and ducks on the Pondage.
Photo: Upper Goulburn FNC.