I used to be on a regular honeyeater migration route here in Kaleen. I think at least some of these birds used to follow the Lake George escarpment to places ......... ???. Apart from a couple of stragglers a few years ago, I have not had any honeyeaters over my house now probably for 5 or six years. Are they being redirected because of the increased housing development, with the consequent removal of large numbers of mature Eucalypts, going on in all parts of Canberra?
I have also been surprised by the number of comments about the birds moving on overcast days. Going back to the late 1960’s ,early 1970’s, and I am sure Denis Wilson will remember this, the late Steve Wilson and his team of intrepid young banders would only go out to catch the migrating flocks at Point Hut when we had a clear, sunny, often frosty, morning. The first frosts were generally the trigger to start the birds moving so why are they moving in weather that is still relatively warm. Obviously day length has something to do with this but there appears to be something else going on as well – I am just not sure what!
Mark
From: Denis Wilson [
Sent: Friday, 2 May 2014 10:01 AM
To: Lindsay Hansch
Cc: COG-L
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Honeyeaters
I am a few days delayed in the Honeyeater migration process, it seems. But I can confirm some (few) White-napes coming through, and the YFHEs are still trickling through.
I have seen no flocks of Red Wattlebirds though.
Denis Wilson
Life is to be observed, not cleaned,
On Fri, May 2, 2014 at 8:55 AM, Lindsay Hansch <m("netspace.net.au","lindsayrhonda");" target="_blank">> wrote:
It looks as though the honeyeater migration has dried up. There was a flock of about 40 mixed Yellow-faced and White-naped passed through Jerrabomberra last Friday morning then nothing until Wednesday afternoon at 4 o’clock when a flock of 20 Yellow-faced paused briefly in the trees in our backyard before proceeding east. Despite keeping a look out we have not seen any others.
Regards
Lindsay Hansch
