Re: PWD and YFHE

[Martin Butterfield <>]

I returned to the area approximately 30 minutes after the first observations.  The situation was much the same with 10+ Yellow-faced Honeyeaters YFHE  (6+ Willie Wagtails joining them) feeding on the ground A large flock of Silvereyes were moving through the adjacent canopy, appearing to feed up there.

A review of HANZAB showed several comments that it is unusual for YFHE to forage on the ground.  The prey was too small for me to see what it was as the birds fed so I searched the area in which they were feeding.  The only insects or insect material I could identify in the more open areas being used was some modest sized ants.  HANZAB does include ants as one of the foodstuffs consumed by YFHE.  I couldn't find anything in the area covered by pine needles where the birds were also foraging.

Martin

Martin Butterfield

http://franmart.blogspot.com.au/

On 8 April 2015 at 12:05, Martin Butterfield <> wrote:

Needing to go to Bungendore this morning I stopped at Trucking Yard Lane where 78 Plumed Whistling Ducks were mainly sheltering from the wind.  When I first arrived 15 of them were grazing but as I left they had all moved back into the lee of the dam.  60 Shelduck were visible feeding under and around the hay racks on the far side of the paddock.  A further 30 shelduck were grazing around the Bungendore Meadow Dam.

Arriving home a flock of at least 20 Yellow-faced Honeyeaters were feeding on our (dirt) driveway together with at least a dozen Grey Fantails.  I assume they were feeding on insects (either adults or possibly larva hatched by the welcome rain).  I shall go back shortly to see if I can identify the foodstuff, but it seemed pretty minute.

Martin Butterfield

http://franmart.blogspot.com.au/