Highlights of a
trip today through the Capertee Valley, 15 Regent Honeyeaters at Coco Creek early
this morning. (I lost count at
that number as they kept doubling back into the one River Oak. At one stage
there were 12 Regents in the one River Oak laden with flowering mistletoe). Also 3 Regents at Glen Davis and 6 at Glenowlan Road, including possibly 2 nestlings. One nestling was quite large and preening its feathers
vigorously. It may have fledged while I was surveying further up the river, because
when I returned about an hour later it was no longer visible in the nest yet
the parent birds continued to fly to the nest site and appeared to feed a
nestling that was out of sight.
I also saw 5 Painted Honeyeaters
feeding on the fruit of Box Mistletoe off Crown Station Road, a male Turquoise Parrot at Glen Davis and a magnificent
Spotted Harrier at Glenowlan Road. It was struggling to carry a large lizard, possibly a
Bearded Dragon.
I stopped off at Coco Creek late in
the afternoon on my way home and there was not a single Regent Honeyeater in
the area.
Neil Kirby
