Back-stories, Barbara? - the best kind of stories, I always think. Unlike David , I am a large-area counter, so on Saturday I walked over most of Callum Brae, with Di. Many Miners, relatively few SFWs.
On Sunday I went to the JWNR woodland to tick the distinctive hybrid honeyeater, which Shorty had been regularly monitoring over the last year. I found it ‘CF’ near its nest site, so a breeding record, the ‘F’
being a limp damselfly, species uncertain. In view of thorough coverage of the wetlands by others, including by the kayak-borne Rod, I wasn’t going to write down every species I saw there, but I did spot (and note) spotless crake and spotted dove in case
these will be useful to fill out the species count. (An H B-Cuckoo calling from dead tree near creek, Rod.)
Yesterday (Monday) near the hybrid honeyeater spot I saw a Diamond Firetail, an unusual bird for the location, which I would like to slip into the tally, if that is not stretching the rules too much.
From: Barbara
Allan [
Sent: Monday, 30 October 2017 11:24 AM
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] after the blitz
Many thanks to all enthusiastic blitzers who have already submitted their records. A great response thus far and some really interesting observations, including at least one new bird for the blitz, the Scarlet Honeyeaters at the ANBG. I
shall work my way steadily through the records and give periodic updates to the chat line and through the newsletter. Again many thanks to all participants and a plea to those who haven’t yet submitted their records to do so asap. And to share any interesting
back-stories with the chatline. I really enjoyed my weekend even though I didn’t see anything particularly new or different. Highlights were Fuscous Honeyeaters, Dusky Woodswallows and a pair of Flame Robins feeding on ??? on the road (Smokers Trail); a handsome
male Satin Flycatcher (also Smokers); Speckled Warblers feeding young (Pinnacle NR); a pair of kestrels vocalising (Pinnacle NR); a Great Egret and a pair of Crested Shrike-tits (Lake Ginninderra); and two poor Brown Thornbills feeding a great lump of a Fan-tailed
Cuckoo chick (Tidbinbilla). b
