The third (and possibly last) in the current series of Great Killawarra
Regent Hunt was conducted last weekend. Participants were David
Geering, Mathew Herring, Marjory Paul, Maree Petro, Phillip Seely &
Steven Tucker. The aim of the weekend was to continue surveying this
major Mugga Ironbark forest north of Wangaratta, north-east Victoria
for Regent Honeyeaters.
Weather, in contrast to the July survey, was extremely kind to us with
glorious warm sunshine and relatively mild nights. Flowering of
Mugga Ironbark was on the wane but trees were flowering throughout
the forest. The number of friarbirds in the forest continues to
decline but still remaining the dominant species in most areas.
The weekend produced some nice birds. Highlights were, again, the number
of Swift Parrots in the forest, probably 150+ (down on past trips but
still impressive and easy to see) and, naturally the target species -
Regent honeyeater. Other highlights included Turquoise Parrot,
Speckled Warbler, Diamond Firetail, Red-capped Robin and quite a few
Hooded Robin. An unexpected find was a lone Singing Honeyeater
(apparently well outside its normal range) that was observed for some
time foraging through live and dead wattle and on the ground.
The weekend will probably be remembered for the Shrike-tits. They were
conspicuous and confiding with a real highlight being a male foraging
through a dead wattle in one of the large clearings. The sun was
getting low and the wattle was decorated with spider web that
glistened in the sun, the air behind the wattle was full of insects
that dazzled in the light and the shrike-tit was beautifully backlit
as it worked through the dead shrub breaking off twigs and working
them through his bill. One of those sights that you will never
forget.
Regent Honeyeaters? Yes, they have now been recorded on every trip there
since April. The highlight Regent-wise was locating a female on a
nest, obviously incubating. The male was very busy keeping all
manner of honeyeaters out of the nest tree. An interesting
observation on the Sunday was a Noisy Friarbird that appeared to be
"baiting" the Regent. Each time it was chased it would immediately
return to the same spot and eye off the Regent. At one stage the
birds sat inches from each other engaged in some serious eye-balling.
The Regent, however, got very serious when the friarbird ventured
within about two metres of the nest invariably driving the friarbird
away.
Species seen on all the three Regent Hunts as well as my weekend there in
May for the Regent/Swiftie survey follows.
Killawarra State Forest 23-25/04 22-23/05 12-14/06 10-11/07
Stubble Quail #
Black Swan #
Australian Wood Duck # * * *
Brown Goshawk *
Collared Sparrowhawk * * * *
Wedge-tailed Eagle * *
Painted Button-quail *
Common Bronzewing * * * *
Crested Pigeon * * * *
Peaceful Dove * * *
Gang-gang Cockatoo *
Galah * * * *
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo # # # #
Musk Lorikeet * * * *
Little Lorikeet * * * *
Purple-crowned Lorikeet * *
Swift Parrot * * * *
Australian King-parrot *
Crimson Rosella *
Eastern Rosella * * * *
Red-rumped Parrot * * * *
Turquoise Parrot * * *
Horsfield Bronze-cuckoo *
Southern Boobook *
Owlet Nightjar *
Laughing Kookaburra * * * *
White-throated Tree-creeper * * * *
Brown Tree-creeper * * * *
Superb Fairy-wren * * * *
Striated Pardalote * * * *
Spotted Pardalote * * * *
Speckled Warbler * * * *
Weebill * * * *
Brown Thornbill * * *
Striated Thornbill * * *
Chestnut-rumped Thornbill *
Buff-rumped Thornbill * * * *
Yellow-rumped Thornbill # * * *
Yellow Thornbill * * * *
Red Wattlebird * * * *
Noisy Friarbird * * * *
Little Friarbird * * * *
Noisy Miner * * * *
Regent Honeyeater * * * on eggs
Yellow-faced Honeyeater * * * *
White-eared Honeyeater * *
Sining Honeyeater *
Yellow-tufted Honeyeater * * * *
Fuscous Honeyeater * * * *
White-plumed Honeyeater * * * *
Black-chinned Honeyeater * * * *
Brown-headed Honeyeater * * * *
White-naped Honeyeater * * * *
Jacky Winter * * * *
Scarlet Robin * * * *
Red-capped Robin * *
Hooded Robin * * * *
Eastern Yellow Robin * * * *
White-browed Babbler * * * *
Grey-crowned Babbler * *
Crested Shrike-tit * * * *
Golden Whistler * * *
Gilberts Whistler * *
Grey Shrike-thrush * * * *
Restless Flycatcher * * * *
Magpie-lark * * * *
Grey Fantail * * * *
Willie Wagtail * * * *
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike * *
White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike * *
Olive-backed Oriole * *
White-browed Woodswallow * * *
Dusky Woodswallow * * * *
Grey Butcherbird * *
Australian Magpie * * * *
Australian Raven * * * *
White-winged Chough * * * *
Mistletoebird * * * *
Welcome Swallow * * # *
Tree Martin * * #
Silvereye * * * *
* Within Killawarra forest
# outside forest
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