Just out of curiosity. Is Harold's Cross a place and is it outside of suburban Canberra? Two breeding records for the species on one year is odd, unless we know the locations are outside suburban Canberra.
The GBS Report notes :
“Yellow-faced Honeyeater Lichenostomus chrysops
Probably more individuals of this species pass through the area on post-breeding migration than the number of any other species we have residing in the area. This is the most regular of our species in terms of its monthly
pattern. ……………..
For such an abundant species that breeds in enormous numbers very close to Canberra, the paucity of GBS breeding records is notable.”
Martin’s site is outside of suburban Canberra. The inclusion of unusual sites changes the character of the overall information for some species that show particular trends and this makes interpreting GBS data a little more difficult,
unless it is know that the site is somehow different (by location).
Philip
From: Elizabeth Keen [m("gmail.com","ejbayly");">]
Sent: Friday, 20 January, 2017 10:16 AM
To: Martin Butterfield
Cc: Canberra birds
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] A couple of observations
Martin, like you we are watching a YF honeyeater nest very close to the house, ours is in a laurestina bush at the end of the deck. (Popular real estate competed for by several species yearly, but last year a nest full of 3 YF chicks were
drowned in a downpour). Three chicks now being fed. Parents chasing off any eg New Hollands who dare to approach. Drama yesterday: a small bird crashed into the window right by the bush, fell to the ground, one of the adult YFs attacked it. I went to the rescue
- it was a Horsfields Bronze cuckoo, not badly hurt. It clung to my finger for half an hour so I was able to admire its iridescent plumage and markings. After a spell in a basket, under a hat, it flew into the trees.
Yesterday evening I was walking up to check the letterbox and recover the recycling bin when I became aware of 3 Magpies kicking up a ruckus and jumping around on the ground at the Creek crossing. My initial thought was that they
were assaulting the resident Water Dragons. Close, but no cigar. As I approached the Magpies flew away a 1.5 Rd-bellied Black Snake emerged from the vegetation and slithered across the road to the grass on the other side.
We have a Yellow-faced Honeyeater nest (now with young) in a floribunda rose on our deck. I check it each day and for the last two the sitting adult has been absent. Although the nest is well shaded I wondered if several days of
heat had done for the chicks. However my second check this morning showed the adult back
in situ so I assume all is well beneath it.
