Honeyeater migration

[martin butterfield <>]

The trickle of birds through Carwoola has dried up to nothing for the last 4 days, and I have been about the property so would have seen them if they were moving.  This morning I was running from Hackett to Ainslie and saw no YFHE (and at the pace I was going would have had plenty of time to notice a movement).

Looking at the raw numbers reported in the GBS in recent years it would seem that for the migration to taper off now would be about 2 weeks earlier than expected.  Lindsay is the main reporter of large single flocks in the GBS and would seem to be the main correspondent to the chatline about aggregate movements over a period.

Martin

On Mon, Apr 26, 2010 at 8:35 PM, Denis Wilson <> wrote:

Hi Jack, Elizabeth Compston, Lindsay, Martin and other Honeyeater migration note-takers.

 

Jack has hit a good question.

 

As far as Robertson's HE migration route is concerned (200 Km NE from Canberra), they Honeyeater migration has been in steady flow over the last 3 weeks. However, during the last week, (the weather cooled on Wednesday), the numbers have dwindled.

 

At best I saw no more than 30 birds in any one group (I hesitate to call them a "flock" as they are strung out over more than 30 seconds flying time, often).

This last week, the group size has shrunk noticeably. Average 10 birds only.

Also, the intervals between groups has spread out greatly. There was a time when they passed every 10 minutes or so. It spread out to a group per hour.

Today I saw one single YFHE sitting on a power line, looking lost.

 

I have heard only one single White-naped HE. That is unusual (even at the end of the YFHE migration season).

 

I have seen just a few Red Wattlebirds on migration (grouped, and flying silently) over the last week.

Today I saw my first flock (for the year) of same - 30 birds, heading NE (typical of all the Honeyeater migrants in this area).

 

It is always difficult to pronounce the "end" of the season, but it certainly looks like it here (or at least the transition from YFHEs to Red Wattlebirds - which are always
"later" than the YFHEs).

 

Cheers

 

Denis
www.peonyden.blogspot.com