Perfect day for honeyeaters to get up and go, probably the most suitable day
for a couple of weeks. Nice crispy morning (4 degrees), clear and still. I went
to Casuarina Sands at about 8am, and already they were streaming through. In
the next hour I counted something like 5,000 - they were too hard to count more
accurately, sometimes coming through on a broad front or in two separate
streams. Still predominantly Yellow-faced, but many more White-napes than
before, occasional White-eared and Fuscous honeyeaters, some Spotted
PArdalotes, but no Wattlebirds. AT first they came through in large groups of
several hundred with quiet periods of 5 or so minutes, then towards 9am, there
was just a continuous stream. Even the presence of a Brown goshawk patrolling
the treetops didn't stem the tide - the Goshawk actually seemed a bit confused
about how to deal with the passing smorgasbord and didn't seem very successful
in catching any, or maybe it was already stuffed full.
After this I stopped up on the slopes of Mt MacDonald with extensive views over
the denuded landscape around Cotter Dam. Hardly a standing tree for miles, yet
the honeyeaters were still streaming across the barren landscape, keeping
fairly low perhaps to be able to duck into what meagre cover was provided by a
few logpiles and scrubby wattle regrowth. They were moving with such purpose
and urgency today that their route didn't seem to be affected by whatever
vegetation there was or wasn't, but perhaps it has consequences for the amount
of energy they have to use when there is little to stop and rest in.
--
Nicki Taws
6251 0303
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