I was out there about 2 p.m. today, initially none of them in the car park where they have been last two days (top right corner of Helen’s map). Then a flock
flew over me, probably from somewhere near where Helen’s map shows (about 300 metres away). Flew over the Hungry Jack’s drive through and stopped in the trees behind the sheds and beside Drakeford Drive, where I watched them for about 20 minutes. In trees
only a few metres from Drakeford Drive. Feeding quite low on leaves and the eucalypt flower buds. At least ten in one small tree. plus more elsewhere. At one point about 5 flew off from that tree to the median strip yet it did not look like there were any
fewer still in the tree, then another 5 flew in again from the direction of Helen’s map.
The Noisy Miners were in the adjacent tree but I did not see any of the Noisy Miners interact or even go in the tree with the Swift Parrots. As a nice diversion
in the middle of this, Noisy Miners gave an alarm call and I looked up to see a Peregrine Falcon flying high overhead (over Drakeford Drive). It did tight circles to an increasing altitude till I lost it. In that time there were no other birds at all flying
around and any more than tree height.
I did not detect any Superb Parrots during that time. Both these species are clearly very social and prefer to travel in groups.
Philip
From: Helen Cross [
Sent: Saturday, 22 May, 2021 9:05 AM
To: Philip Veerman
Cc: Ace Frawley;
Subject: Re: [Canberrabirds] Jenke Circuit Kambah Swift Parrots
Flock of around 30 Swift Parrots hanging around the far northern corner of Lake Tuggeranong, near Athllon Drive, this morning
On Fri, 21 May 2021, 2:59 pm Philip Veerman, <> wrote:
Yes I am just back from there (it is close to home). I only had a quick time there at about mid day
then had to go back to Woden then returned. First time a flock of about 20 Swift Parrots flew by. When I came back Harvey and one other were there. The Swift Parrots were by then mostly high in the tree at the lower part of the car park, closest to the Hungry
Jacks / Club Lime. We could see about 5 in the top of the tree then 5 flew off and we could still see 3 there, plus there were some in the neighbouring tree. After Harvey & other left a flock of about 10 flew by but not from where the earlier flock had gone.
So likely a different bunch(?). I thought they perched in the grove of trees between the Hungry Jacks & Drakeford Drive but I could not relocate them. During today’s visits only one pair of Superb Parrots were seen by me. I did have at least one Superb Parrots
flying over my house this morning as I was hanging out washing. Just heard.
Philip
From: Canberrabirds
[
On Behalf Of Ace Frawley via Canberrabirds
Sent: Friday, 21 May, 2021 12:58 PM
To:
Subject: [Canberrabirds] Jenke Circuit Kambah Swift Parrots
Following on from Philip's report from yesterday, I visited Jenke Circuit from 11:00 this morning and heard the sound of Swift Parrots from
the moment I got out of my car. As well as being vocal, they were moving around a lot, being chased by various other species of birds, but were visible in the eucalypts within the car park and those between Jenke Circuit and Drakeford Drive. I couldn't get
an exact count of the number of birds, but I think it would be around the same amount that Philip estimated. They looked to be feeding on lerps, but there are a number of ironbarks starting to flower in nearby Marconi Crescent and possibly more to flower
soon in Summerland Circuit, so there is a potential large food supply nearby if they can locate those trees.
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