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Twice in the past two weeks there has been a pair
of Grey Fantails foraging in eucaplypts close to my home in suburban Glen
Waverely (about 20 km east-south-east of Melbourne CBD). I have never seen
them in this immediate area before in the four years we have lived here, or at
our previous home a couple of km to the north-west, in Burwood. I remember
only once seeing one bird where I grew up in Glen Iris, about 10 km east of the
city. Interestingly (perhaps), both pairs were sharing their respective
trees with two or three Brown Thornbills (which are resident but not overly
common around here).
Other local, recent highlights have been calls of
passing Pied Currawonmgs since about the end of February, and the presence in
the neighbourhood of a family of four Little Falcons (Australian Hobbies).
The Mistletoebirds which conspicuously call at Glen Iris during August/
September, then disappear for the summer, returned this year in February and
remained at least until a couple of weeks ago. A Nankeen Night Heron flew
citywards along Gardiners Creek, also in February, and we had another visit at
home two weeks ago from a Tawny Frogmouth (first time since a couple of visits
in October-November). A day or two later one also turned up at my parents'
home in Glen Iris.
For Mike Tarburton: Not a single swift or
needletail have I seen around here all summer. Every time the weather has
looked promising, and quite a few times when it hasn't, I've looked around for
them, but no luck.
Regards,
Jack
Krohn
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