It would be worth writing this up for CT or somesuch as it points to effects
that the gen, community w'd not be aware of
Sz
-----Original Message-----
From: Con Boekel
Sent: Tuesday, 10 March 2020 7:59 PM
To: canberrabirds chatline <>
Subject: The Drought, the Fires: some obsservations on plumage and feeding
behaviours
While we were at Bowra Station we were told that the plumage of White-plumed
Honeyeaters was impacted by the Drought.
Today I saw White-eared Honeyeaters and Striated Thornbills near Billy Billy
Creek on Corin Road. One bird of each species had what might be called untidy
plumage. One White-eared Honeyeater was moulting but had lost some of its
forehead feathers. Another just looked tatty. One Striated Thornbill had an
untidy set of uneven tail feathers. It occurred to me that at least some of the
birds that have survived the Drought and the Fire may still having to struggle
to overcome the consequences and that this is showing as they moult. I noticed
three species feeding in atypical habitats in burned areas: White-eared
Honeyeater on the ground, Rufous Whistler feeding among Granite boulders.
Striated Thornbills feeding through clumps of blackened and burned sticks and
also fossicking among leaves that had died in the fire but were still hanging
on the branches. I noticed a pattern by which White-throated Treecreepers
nearly always chose to feed on unburned bark when there was a choice to do so.
Other observations: pairs of Scarlet Robins appeared to be defending
territories. A solitary Brown Falcon appeared to appreciate the newly opened
ground layer.
Birds were generally in extremely low numbers.
One or two Yellow-faced Honeyeaters were moving about. The only other
honeyeaters were the White-eared.
regards
Con
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