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Small flocks of mostly Yellow-faced going over my house most
days in the last few weeks. Mostly seen in the afternoons, I am not out a lot in
the mornings. Along with the usual mix of lots of Striated Thornbills, Weebills,
Pardalotes, Red Wattlebirds, etc. Yesterday at 1:30 p.m I walked the area of
pine trees, from behind the newly labelled Namadgi school, to my home. During
that about 15 minutes, I had one mixed flock of about 80, maybe a close
to equal mix of Yellow-faced and White-naped Honeyeaters.
Typical I thought, of White-naped more often joining in
during May. (Incidentally the Grey Currawong often noticed there was still in
the area.)
Yes we have long associated this migration with
clear weather. I wonder whether we actually have real data over time to make the
comparison (then and now) or is it mainly a perception.
Philip
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 <> 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
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