I am interested in the map that Geoffrey has recently provided of the
migration routes of the yellow faced honey eaters in Autumn. I have
felt for some time that the birds we have been seeing flocking down
the Murrumbidgee in Autumn, have come from further afield than the
Brindabella Mountains. In 2003, the year of the fires in the
Brindabellas thousands of yfhes flew along the Murrumbidgee corridor,
also in 2004. I am not sure about 2005, but in 2006 and 2007, there
were far fewer birds; which to me could indicate that many birds had
perished in the fires in Victoria. However, it could also just
indicate that they were flying along different routes. I would like
comments from Nickie Taws and others about this
As to whether the yfhes appeared in Canberra earlier than usual, I
doubt this. In 2002, 2003, and 2004 I asked people to report
sighting of yfhes in Canberra. I have kept these records. On March
6th, 2003, Bob Rusk wrote "Over the past couple of weeks, it is
obvious that the yfhe migration has begun". There are so many
variables involved in the start of the migration. And are sightings
of the birds, flying through Canberra in small numbers, an indication
of start of migration anyway?
Now that the early autumn has given way to summer again, what effect
will this have on the birds? Not so many sightings since the weather
warmed up? What day was that? Keep observations coming in
Elizabeth
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