Finch central gets back to business

["martin butterfield" <>]

Given that riverine areas seem to be of interest to migrating honeyeaters, and that the cooling weather seems to drive robins from the high country to more mellow elevations I went for a waddle in finch central and the nearby robin 'hood this afternoon.

 

Finches were definitely available.  At least 16 red-browed finches, 5 double-barred finches; 2 diamond firetails and 2 European goldfinches.

 

Robins were also evident.  To my surprise they all appeared to be flame robins.  This was somewhat of a tough call as they were all immatures, but the wing patch ruled out red-capped and the small/negigible white forehead patch indicated flame rather than scarlet. 

 

WRT to honeyeaters the picture was confusing to say the least.  On arrival at the parking area at Coppins Crossing a flock of about a dozen Yellow-faced Honeyeaters (YFHE) were heading east (more or less as expected).  On getting down to the river at Finch Central itself a few more small (4-6) flocks of YFHE were heading East along the river.  The seeeveral of these small flocks headed west along the river!  A couple of White-naped honeyeaters were calling in the riverine fringe, but I don't know where they went!  As I headed back 8 red-wattleburds went past in a flock, heading east with purpose!  Finally, back at the car park about 50 YFHE headed East.

 

Also of interest were at least 2 (and perhaps 4) Speckled warblers in the riverine fringe.  They were part of a mixed aboreal flock including red-browed finches, yelow-rumped thornbills, grey fantails, silvereyes and superb fairy-wrens: they were so agitated in a regenerating Allocasuarina that I suspected ther could have been a bird of prey lurking within.  But I couldn't find it (in fact today was looking as though it was to be raptor free until a very nice immature wedge-tailed eagle appeared).. The final "more interesting' birds were a flock of about 10 dusky woodswallows.

 

Not a bad trip.

 

Martin