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These weekend was notable for a number of spring
migrants that seemed to move into the NW Chapman/Cooleman Ridge
area.
First among these was the Rufous Songlark, with 4
of them calling/displaying within a few hundred metres of each other on the NW
edge of Cooleman Ridge, with another being heard earlier on the edge of the
horse paddocks/former Narrabundah Hill pine plantation. Three
Horsefield's Bronze-cuckoos had just been seen (but quiet) in the same
tree. These were very lightly barred indeed - but another was heard and
then a further one seen calling within a km, possibly (though by no means
certain) one of the first group. While a relatively early returning
migrant, these were the first records of this species in the area this
spring.
The first Pallid Cuckoo was also heard moving
through early this morning, with the first White-winged Triller (a male calling)
seen yesterday morning. Also notable this weekend were the number of
Yellow-faced Honeyeaters moving through - very few indeed for September.
Finally a first since the fires was 2 Double-barred
Finches seen this morning, though these were also rare pre-fires. While
generally bird life has been comparatively quiet since the excellent first year
back, a number of species have been recorded for the first time over the past
couple of months, including Brown Thornbill in my GBS, Grey Shrike-thrush and
Red-browed Finch, all of which were relatively common pre-fires.
Jack Holland
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