An interesting Red-browed Treecreeper record from January 1

["Kim Farley via Canberrabirds " <>]

As keen local birders know, Red-browed Treecreepers live and breed in the mountain forests of the Brindabella Ranges. They are regularly reported in eBird, often accompanied by photos. However, breeding records backed by photos are few and far between - likely because the species is not very common, the birds are 

reasonably difficult to spot and identify in the high forest trees they favour, and also because the nests and nestlings in tree hollows and pipes are hard to detect. 

On January 1, Sue Beatty spotted a Red-brow entering a hollow along Warks Rd in Namadagi NP. She and I were birding together, with Steve Read, Julie Hotchin and Peri Bolton arriving at just the right time to see the birds too. There was discussion about whether one or two adults were visiting the nest. I think two. 

Sue took photos of an adult and a chick - with these photos on our shared Checklist at https://ebird.org/checklist/S291511561 Look carefully at the photos and you will see the fluffy grey plumage of the chick. Some of us saw an adult removing a faecal sac from the nest and I noted that an adult was visiting to feed the chick every 3 minutes or so.  

After getting home I checked HANZAB and found that the height and location of the nest in the tree accorded exactly with the HANZAB descriptions. HANZAB didn't note how many chicks are typically fledged but multiple eggs are laid. We saw only one chick. 

The only other local eBird photo records of nests or juveniles is Shorty Westlin's from 2021 at https://ebird.org/checklist/S79258462. The chick in his photo seems a little older than our bird - less fluffy for a start.

Happy New Year and happy birding to all

Kim

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