Observers of the honeyeater tribe will have noticed that the
dozen or so Fuscous in the wetlands Grevillea plantings include birds in full
(black-billed) breeding condition as well as yellow-gaped birds. As Jack has
pointed out, the yellow-gaped have been more usual in Canberra, generally being
April-August transients. However, some Fuscous have been in the area for
several months, certainly from late Summer, which raises a question whether
they might now be called resident breeders, like the New Hollands that share
the same plantings. Their daily presence is in contrast to the White-napeds and
YFHEs, which might be at a particular location one day in their hundreds (as
they were in the wetlands trees yesterday) and then virtually absent the next,
typical transient migrant behaviour.
