In this, what I would call the February influx (on the assumption that the very active birds now being seen have not over-wintered in Canberra) there are regularly about a dozen in the eucs in Brockman St and on Rocky Knob. At least half seem to be young birds. From this morning, a snap of a presumed older female (left)and one, feeding on boxthorn leaves, presumably from the recent season. The main difference is a matter of impression, particularly a shorter tail on the young bird, but I would also register the pale versus partly-dark bill and the fresh cream-tipped wing coverts on the bird on the right. Doesn’t help with the issue of red feathers on the heads of recent fledglings though.
