Mixed aggregations

[martin butterfield <>]

I have used that title to cover a couple of sigthings of numbers of birds of various species close together.  I'm not sure if they meet the technical requirements of a Mixed Feeding Flock.

The first sighting was at the Trucking Yard Lane (Bungendore) holding paddocks.  The cattle here, awaiting slaughter, are given supplementary feed and I suspect a fair amount of grain is spilt on the ground.  When I drove past yesterday the birds feeding on the ground were estimated as 600 galahs (this is conservative as some of the flocks were hidden behind sleeping cattle), 200 Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, 200 Common Starlings, 20 Little Ravens and 6 Magpie-larks.  The dam held 35Pacific Back Ducks which also venture out to graze under the feeding racks from time to time and 2 Grey Teal.

I have just been for a stroll around my GBS site and down by the CreekI observed 6 Yellow-rumped Thornbills, 6 Buff-rumped thornbills 10 Superb Fairy-wrens, 1 Speckled Warbler, 1 Common Blackbird and 3 Brown-headed Honeyeaters.  One of the last named species was plunge bathing in the Creek.  Adding to the fun was a female Australian King-parrot (AKP) flying over.  This is only the second AKP I have seen here in 4.5 years.

Martin