weekend obs

["Overs, Anthony \(REPS\)" <>]

Hi all

I spent the weekend at Moruya. I’ve just started a bird banding project at Stephen Marchant’s old property, which is about 10km north-west of town. The property is now owned by Stephen’s daughter and her husband. Michael and Sarah are embarking on an extensive study of the birds on the forest block, repeating the work that Stephen did between 1975 and 1984.

While I was there I caught a couple of White-cheeked Honeyeaters. The pair had just fledged two young. This surprised me - I’m not aware of many records of white-cheeks on the south coast, and I’ve not heard of any breeding records. Does anyone have any recent records, presence or breeding?

Other species banded included Yellow-faced, White-naped, Lewin’s, New Holland, Scarlet Honeyeaters, Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Grey Fantail, White-browed Scrubwren, Superb Fairywren, Variegated Fairywren, Brown Gerygone, Satin Bowerbird, Eastern Yellow Robin, Eastern Spinebill, Silvereye, Striated Thornbill, Brown Thornbill, Eastern Whipbird.

Also saw or heard Grey Shrike-thrush, Crimson Rosella, Australian King Parrot, White-throated Treecreeper, Rainbow, Musk and Little Lorikeets, Laughing Kookaburra, Shining Bronze-cuckoo. Migrants that returned on the weekend included Cicadabird, Black-faced Monarch, Leaden Flycatcher, Sacred Kingfisher.

Each night I was there I heard Powerful Owl. On Friday night I heard a pair of birds calling. On Saturday night I heard one bird calling early in the evening. I went outside and mimicked the call. First time I’d ever done it, and it worked a treat. The bird flew in and landed in a tree very close to the house. We all had a great look at the bird.

Cheers

Anthony