I was in the Capertee Valley over the weekend with a group of friends.
On Saturday morning, we failed to find any Regent Honeyeaters at the Port
Macquarie Rd junction and then went to the creek crossing on Glenowlan Rd.
Almost immediately on walking along the creek towards Glenview, even before
the weir, we started to hear the RHE's. We saw enough high in the canopy to
bring us back early Sunday morning for a concentrated look and stakeout.
Again, once in the creek bed we heard them calling and then saw many birds.
At one stage, I was looking at six birds together in one of the tall
eucalypts on the creek bank and Dave Pratt had three birds further down the
creek in a Casuarina. I would guess there were upwards of 10 birds in all.
They were flying to and fro in the creek bed, calling persistently and, on
landing on a branch, frequently clicking and displaying.
Could they be mating at this late stage??
We did not have a call tape recording, but even without, on two occasions, I
had birds come down fairly low and obligingly pose for me. I have some nice
pics.
An interesting fact was that they appeared also to be hawking insects - Dave
saw one clearly with a moth type insect in the beak. Another came down to
one of the creek ponds to drink.
We also had good views of an Owlet Nightjar enjoying the morning sun.
Also interesting was Diamond Firetails nesting - carrying sticks and
feathers into a nest well hidden in a slight tree in the creek bed.
The Valley was alive with birds in the early mornings, and noticeable were
the large numbers of Red Rump Parrots.
Also got excellent views of Plum Headed Finches, and in fact, all the
finches were good - Red Browed, Double Barred, Zebra, Diamond Firetails and
Plum Headed.
Raptors seen - Wedge Tailed Eagle, Hobby, Brown Falcon, Kestrel and a
possible but unconfirmed by photo, Spotted Harrier.
Nevil Lazarus
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