Hi all
Complications of availability and weather meant I did the Red Hill WOO survey over the mornings of Tuesday 21 June and Wednesday 22 June, barely avoiding the misting rain that enveloped the mountain as I finished up at the final site. Although
it seemed very ‘slow’, overall the numbers of birds (294) and species (30) recorded were spot on average for a Red Hill winter survey. 25 of the 30 species were recorded within survey sites. Diversity was boosted from what would otherwise have been a low total
by a couple of roving feeding flocks of small birds including a pair of Scarlet Robins. Little Corellas continue to increase (total of 44 eclipsing the previous high of 11), and Rainbow Lorikeets were also recorded and are becoming quite regular. Choughs were
recorded for just the 6th time over the 71 surveys, and sadly consisted of gangs of just 4 and 6 birds; and Wood Ducks made their regular winter appearance in the dead trees. Other highlights included a single Mistletoebird (only the site’s 4th
record; and it would appear that this species is a feature of this year’s winter surveys) and a brilliant male Golden Whistler whose colour and contact call brightened the gloom.
On a less bright note, a recent control burn at site 3 has had a serious impact by apparently being allowed to smoulder in the hollow bases of several of the older/larger habitat trees, weakening them to the point that at least three of
them, two Yellow Box and a Blakely’s Red Gum, have already fallen. While there is regrowth at the site from other fires over the past ten years, this loss of older trees is regrettable to say the least.
Harvey
Dr Harvey Perkins
CRC Programme Operations
AusIndustry – Business Services
Phone +61 2 6213 7472
Email:
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Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
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