Regent Honeyeater???

["Philip Veerman" <>]

Martin's comment about the trees is certainly true. However I remember it as one Regent Honeyeater. Although of course these might be separate events. Many other people saw it, I think I recall Geoffrey Dabb telling about being confronted, about wandering around with all his camera gear in front of the tax office. I chased it for hours and got a lot of film of it. It was very active. At one time it was feeding on blossoms about 1 metre above the bonnet of my car, whilst I was sitting in the car. Unfortunately that was only for less than a minute and before I got my camera out. I was especially interested because it was doing Red Wattlebird call mimicry.

 

Philip

 

-----Original Message-----
From: martin butterfield [
Sent: Friday, 5 August 2011 4:57 PM
To: Christine Ledger
Cc:
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Regent Honeyeater???

My memory of Regent HEs that turned up in the
Belconnen Labour Club car park many years ago is that they were very keen on
ironbark blossom.  

That being the case people who are birding in
the vicinity of Campbell Park might wish to check out the flowering E.
sideroxylon we spotted on Wednesday.  I think I have got the spot marked on
the attached image: I'm using memory rather than a GPS reading so alternatively
it might be a bit further along towards Mt Majura - the blossom is clearly
visible from the firetrail.

Martin

On Fri, Aug 5, 2011 at 8:34 AM, Christine Ledger <> wrote:

On Tuesday 2 August, we spotted a bird on Mt Majura that I am unfamiliar with. When I trawled through the field guide, the closest match I could find was the Regent Honeyeater. I know these are uncommon so am writing to ask if this would be possible at this time of year.

It was perched high in the tall dead tree on the the right of Blue Metal Road as you climb up the main track from the top of Grayson Street, Hackett. Its distinguishing features were black head with a hint of red and broad pale bar on wing/flank. Smaller than wattle bird. It was perched v. high.

If not a Regent Honeyeater, what would other candidates be?

Chris