There has been a distinct increase in bird activity here
over the past couple of weeks. Our backyard and immediate surrounds has seen
up to 5 Grey Fantails. 4 Rufous Whistlers, up to 10 Yellow-rumped Thornbills, a
lone Brown Thornbill, Red-browed Finches, Silvereyes, Yellow-faced Honeyeaters,
up to 10 Superb Fairy Wrens, Red-rumped Parrots, Reed Warblers and, this
morning, a pair of Rainbow Bee-eaters hawking over the lake. On the water bird
front, the large numbers of Hardheads have all but disappeared, Pacific Black
Duck numbers have increased, Cormorant numbers have increased with 11 Little
Pied, 4 Great and one Little Black present yesterday. Our resident pair of
Black Swans produced four fluffy cygnets on Monday. Their nest site this time
was within sight of our dining room window. The number of cygnets this time is a
departure from the trends over several years whereby they have always produced
four in spring and two in autumn. Perhaps they know something about weather
prospects? There is no evidence yet of the beginning of the honeyeater
migration.
Lindsay Hansch
