Red-capped Robin

[Jack & Andrea Holland <>]

Very interesting Stuart, there seems currently to be an influx of this species, possibly due to the dry inland which is its preferred distribution.

 

The undoubted highlight of my survey on the extreme NW slopes of Cooleman Ridge this morning was 2 Red-capped Robins. 

 

I was attracted by their telephone ringing call, and after a search I found 2 brown birds with dull/rusty red caps initially interacting, then they flew in opposite directions but I continued to hear both >100 m apart. They were observed for around 10 minutes. 

 

This is the first time I have ever seen/recorded them there, around 2 km from where Jean Casburn recorded 1 brown bird on Narrabundah Hill on 25 August.

 

And also today the COG Wednesday walkers saw and heard one near the Cotter Dam.

 

Regards

 

Jack Holland

 

From: Stuart Harris

Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2017 10:00 AM

To: con

Cc: Steve Read ; m("canberrabirds.org.au","canberrabirds");"> Canberra Birds

Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Out of area: Red-capped Robin

 

Sorry for late post, have been running around like a blue-ass fly the past week! In relation to Red-capped Robins, I had one male in my front yard in Belconnen (old Emu Ridge area) last Wednesday.

I was upstairs, on the phone, starting out whilst chatting with a journo when I saw the characteristic perch-forage-perch behaviour of this bird. This continued for approx 50 mins and I was lucky to get some decent shots once i finished my call.

 

Here is a link to a photograph I posted on Facebook:

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156211528087565&set=a.60008287564.87970.784512564&type=3&theater

 

Been so long since i posted (a pic) here I'm not sure of the chat line protocols. Apols if this is inappropriate?

 

Regards

Stuart Harris

 

On Sat, Sep 16, 2017 at 5:11 PM, con <> wrote:

A single male at Crookhaven head opposite tbe Shoalhaven Pilot Station today at 1 pm.

regards

Con

 

 

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG Galaxy Note5 on the Telstra Mobile Network

 

-------- Original message --------

From: Steve Read <>

Date: 16/09/2017 5:00 PM (GMT+10:00)

To: 'Canberra Birds' <org.au>

Subject: [canberrabirds] Seagulls at night

 

I was walking near Parliament House after dark this week and noticed the large number of seagulls (Silver Gulls) flying around the lighted flagpole. Quite mesmerising to watch. I’ve also seen seagulls do similar at other lighted locations after dark, such as floodlit supermarket carparks or sports grounds. They presumably do this for hours at a time.

 

Does anyone know if there is any established explanation for this behaviour? Why are the gulls attracted to these lights? Are there really enough moths around to attract that many birds?

 

Steve