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Once again the weather conspired against us for the
COG outing to count migrating honeyeaters. And if the forecast didn't put anyone
off, the 6.30 am rumble of thunder and subsequent downpour certainly did. At
Tharwa I was joined by just two hardy souls, both non-members and one visiting
from South Africa. However by the time we had waited (in vain) for any late
arrivals, we had had excellent views of the target species (Yellow-faced
Honeyeater) feeding on lerps in the very lerpy Redgums, and the clouds
had peeled away to leave us with a gloriously fresh sunny morning.
We spent a lovely two hours at Tharwa Sandwash
notching up 37 species including Diamond Firetail,
Double-barred Finch, Brown Treecreeper, Southern Whiteface and
Scarlet Robin. Towards the end of the morning a couple of small
flocks of honeyeaters headed east along the river so we decided to head up
Smiths Rd to the honeyeater counting site. In the ten minutes we stayed there we
saw two flocks each of about one hundred honeyeaters gathering in the trees
and setting off across the paddocks in true migration style. Just enough to give
a taste of what a good migration day would be like, which is what every other
day this month has been.
Nicki Taws
02 6251 0303
0408 210
736
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