Spent all of last week at Barren Grounds running a training course for
hopeful bird banders (participants from WA, Vic, Canberra, Bathurst and
Sydney). Not exactly the best weather for it but it could have been worse.
For much of the time we were completely clouded in with visibility less than
50m. Really interesting not being able to see more than 50m for several
days. Even so we still handled over 1000 birds of 32 species.
The honeyeater migration is fantastic at the moment. Over 70% of the birds
handled were honeyeaters (11 species) with 35% of all birds being
Yellow-faced Honeyeaters. Silvereyes accounted for another 19% of the birds
caught.
The highlights (besides the rare views of a landscape further than 50m away)
were the usual Barren Grounds specials. Lots of Eastern Bristlebirds, quite
a few Beautiful Firetails (30 or so see on one walk, 11 caught), Ground
Parrots calling morning and night (1 banded), Southern Emuwrens (5 banded),
Pilotbird (1 banded) and Logrunner (1 banded). Of interest were the number
of Fuscous Honeyeaters present. There have been only 10 records of this
species at Barren Grounds over the past 15 years. We caught and banded 14
in the week. They appear to have been caught up in the honeyeater
migration.
A tiny male Collared Sparrowhawk caught in a mistnet was also a definite
highlight for all.
A good time to be visiting Barren Grounds.
David Geering
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