Red Hill Woodland Survey

[Harvey Perkins <>]

Stuart Harris and I did the Red Hill survey on Saturday morning (22 June). Despite a slightly later start (7:45 am) it was still quite cool, and the wind was bitingly cold when it blew, but it did warm a little with time and it was a beautiful clear sunny morning. Bird activity was relatively low, both in diversity and total numbers. Only 25 species were recorded (down 14% on the 21 winter survey average of 29.2), 19 of them within sites and an additional 6 species between sites. Total individuals recorded (221) was down by 22% from the winter average of 283.4 (no doubt influenced by the distinct paucity of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos which are normally quite prominent in winter).

A couple of small loose feeding flocks of low species diversity boosted numbers of small birds (four thornbill species recorded), and it was nice to see included a total of three Scarlet Robins. A White-plumed Honeyeater near the restaurant car park was notable - only the fifth record for the Red Hill WOO surveys, all of single individuals, all in winter. Grey Butcherbirds and Rainbow lorikeets continue to increase, both recording highest numbers to date (10 individuals for both species), but there was no encore by the Pied Butcherbird that Stuart saw last survey.

Harvey