Hi birders,
I haven't followed the lorikeet threads very closely to date.
Over a week ago (18 Nov) I saw about 8 little lorikeets feeding in
Melaleuca (leucadendra/dealbata?)at Bushland Beach, just north of
Townsville. Brian Venables (per Jo Wieneke) has seen a small flock on
Magnetic Is. in recent weeks. Normally Little L. is restricted to higher
altitdes in this region (particularly the eucalyptus grandis forests of the
Wet Tropics). Jo has brought my attention to a vague reference to "flocks
of 40-50 seen near swamps" in Nov. 1952 (Lavery & Hopkins 1963, ""Birds of
the townsville District of North Qld", Emu 63: 248) which is the only
reference to their lowland occurence in this region that I am aware of.
Has anyone in NQ noticed an influx on the coast, other observations or
coasstal records?.
cheers,
David James
PO BOX 5225
Townsville Mail Centre 4810
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