Early migrations? and "mixed feeding flocks" of small Passerines.

[martin butterfield <>]

Denis

I usually have 1 - 3 red Wattlebirds hanging around the place making rude noises.  Yesterday a flock of 6 flew overhead  - heading vaguely SE.  I wondered at the time if they were headed to the Coast and thought it rather early.

A smallish flock of Red-browed Finches have also turned up but that is pretty much on time, and I feel more a commentary on us needing to do a bit more weeding of the long, seeding grass in the vegie patch than anything else!

Martin

On Tue, Feb 2, 2010 at 9:07 PM, Denis Wilson <> wrote:

To COG generally and Elizabeth Compston.

 

A couple of unusual observations from Robertson, NSW.

 

My property is on an established migration route for Noisy Friarbirds, Red Wattlebirds and Yellow-faced and White-naped Honeyeaters.

This is easy to notice, because none of those 4 species reside in the wet rainforest habitat of Robertson, but they do pass through every year.

So, it is "exception reporting" made easy. 

 

I know it seems early, but in the last two days I have seen several small groups of Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, four flocks (approx 12 birds each) of Noisy Friarbirds, and 3 groups of approximately 15 Red Wattle Birds in each flock.

 

None of these birds reside in Robertson.

They all pass through on migration (both north and south).

 

It seems too early to me, to be normal migration - but in my experience, both the Friarbirds and RWBs normally fly in flocks only on migration.

The weather has been mid-20s and cloudy. Again, not typical weather for Honeyeater migrations to occur.

Their flight patterns appeared "direction-less" going up the hill, (north-east) one minute, then back down shortly afterwards.

But in typical migration flock behaviour, including that strange feeling when seeing a dozen or more of these birds passing by in total silence.

 

Any comments from COG members?

---

 

In addition, there has been a number of "mixed feeding flock" groups with such species as Brown Thornbill (resident), Red-browed Finch (seasonal vagrant, but not a resident breeder here), White-browed Scrubwren (resident) and Superb Fairy Wren (resident) and Silvereye (vagrant, non-breeder - here).

This mixed flock behaviour reminds me of more typical "autumnal" behaviour.

 

Other "migrant species" such as Rufous Fantails and Black-faced Monarchs still present.

 

Cheers

 

Denis
www.peonyden.blogspot.com