The Plumheads appear to be hanging around. Yesterday, there was quite a
party of them in some seeding grass just across the creek, and two or three
ventured into the house garden, very close to us. There are quite a few
around in the valley at present. But they seem to move around a lot and
although there are locations with more potential than others it's hard to
guarantee them anywhere.
While we were enjoying the plumheads yesterday a magnificent Spotted Harrier
glided by, not really glided - doing its quartering thing with set wings and
occasional wingbeats. Another one of those birds that doesn't usually turn
up here until the autumn. The myth that Australia doesn't really have
seasons just doesn't stand up if you're a birder - even in Queensland.
Here at Abberton, the replacement birds that come in in autumn to balance
out our losses after summer include Spotted Harrier, Little Eagle,
Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, the 'red' robins, Grey
Fantail and Golden Whistler, and later in the year (but less frequently)
Swift Parrot.
There are several other birds that have occurred on our "house list" only in
the autumn/winter period, but I'm only talking about one one small property,
not the region as a whole, and I don't know that I can extrapolate to
suggest that this is the consequence of a broader seasonal movement.
For what it's worth, they are Osprey, Square-tailed Kite, Black Falcon,
Swamp Harrier, Grey Goshawk, Black Falcon, Glossy Black-cockatoo, Spotted
Pardalote, Western Gerygone, White-plumed Honeyeater, and White-bellied
Cuckoo-shrike.
I'd be interested to hear comments from others about their experience of the
movement of these species.
(Stop Press: Red-tailed Black Cockies overhead right now!)
Bill Jolly
"Abberton",
Lockyer Valley, Queensland.
Visit our website at http://www.abberton.org
Email:
Ph: (+61) 7 4697 6111 Fax: (+61) 7 4697 6056
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