Some observations from Robertson

[Denis Wilson <>]

Some observations from Robertson, and a 2nd hand report from Bega.

Firstly, after huge rainfalls in recent weeks, the daytime temperature has dropped. Autumn leaves are starting to show some colour.

I have noticed that the Black Cockies (YTBC) have moved into Robertson in parties of about 6 to 20. No longer just Mum, Dad and one Incessant Squawker.
There is abundant easy food for them here - especially Pine Cones from huge old Radiata Pines.
Over summer, they tend to move out of Robertson and down to the Tall Wet Eucalypt forests (e.g,; Belmore Falls) where there are old trees with suitable breeding hollows and lots of Banksia cones and other food, plus of course, large Acacias for chewing on the wood-boring Moth grubs which they love.
So when they move back into Robertson, in parties, we tend to notice their noisy groups.
That fits with Martin's recent  observation from Carwoola.

Second observation is that the local Pied Currawongs have literally changed their tune in the last week.
Now making their whistling calls, no longer the main "curra-wong" call.
As yet they are not doing the group carolling calls, but they are hanging around in small parties on grasslands now, hunting for grubs, etc.

A single White-headed Pigeon sat on a powerline outside my house.
They tend to arrive in Autumn and winter, when the Lilly Pilly trees (Acmena smithii) are in fruit.
Those fruit are not yet fully ripe, but there are other berries, especially Kangaroo Apple (Solanum aviculare) ripe and abundant, right now.
 
I heard this afternoon that around Bega there were many White-throated Needletails flying ahead of the thunderstorms in the late afternoon 16 March 2012.

Denis Wilson
"The Nature of Robertson"
www.peonyden.blogspot.com.au

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