Hi all,
Have just returned after three weeks away to find Katoomba alive with
birds. This is around the time the honeyeater migration would soon be
coming to an end so this morning I went out to Narrow Neck (one of my
favourite spots for watching them) and Yellow-faced and White-naped
Honeyeaters were flying over at a rate of around 900 birds an hour. An
unidentified raptor gliding on flat wings disappeared over a hill before I
could get the binos on it. Lots of Red Wattlebirds everywhere and
Silvereyes of race lateralis with very dark flanks and grey throats were
seen, and Crescent Honeyeater, Beautiful Firetail and Pilotbird were heard
nearby. A Rockwarbler was hopping along the road on Cliff Drive near the
Scenic Railway. It was a nice welcome home.
Regarding the honeyeater migration, I don't know how it's been over the
last three weeks, but I still maintain that at least up until Easter the
migration was much smaller than usual here in the Blue Mountains, despite
reports to the contrary in other areas. Penny's report of a hundred flying
over Mount Boyce in half an hour on 22nd April is not really very many
compared to the thousands an hour one would expect there on a good day.
I was interested to read David's report of the Fuscous Honeyeaters at
Barren Grounds, because on 21st April I saw 4 birds fly over here which
were almost certainly Fuscous, very unusual for Katoomba.
I'll tell you where I've been during the last 3 weeks in a separate
message, but first I have to finish unpacking!
Cheers,
Carol
Carol Probets
Katoomba NSW
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