Hi Carol and everyone.
Carol Probets commented on both Yellow-faced and Fuscous honeyeaters in her
Blue Mtns report on the 4 Th. both species have been in evidence in my area
this winter.
More Yellow-faced in heath and flowering Swamp Mahogany than their usual
winter numbers. Almost everywhere I have been there has been at least some
Yellow-faces.
Fuscous has been very rare around where I live. Prior to this winter I have
only recorded it twice and in small numbers, at Red Hill [In Beacon Hill
suburb] on the 6-6-88 in heath and 1 bird at Irrawong Reserve [In the suburb
of Warriwood] on the 30-5-98 probably in Swamp Mahogany. This winter they
have been present at both Chiltern Trail [Ingleside] and Duckholes Track
[McCarrs Creek] in some numbers for the last 3 weeks. Both locations are
what I refer to as "upland sandstone heath" probably similar to much of the
Blue Mtns heath [except in altitude]
Chiltern Trail in particular has hosted good numbers of Little Wattlebird,
New Holland, White-eared, White-naped, Eastern Spinebill, White-cheeked,
Lewin's [in heath!] and 20+Fuscous as well as Rainbow Lorikeets taking
nectar from Heath Banksia. The Heath Banksia is flowering profusely and this
appears to be attracting many of the birds. Some emergent eucalypt species
are also flowering.
Possibly the good summer season has produced a good nectar output [and
insects] and these have attracted Fuscous [and Lewin's] to heath habitat
which they do not normally visit, at least not in our areas.
Another unusual activity I saw on Chiltern Trail was a Spangled Drongo
feeding from a Heath Banksia flower, thrusting it's beak deep amongst the
styles, looking for insects I presumed. After it moved on I checked the
banksia flowers for insects but could not find any. I have since found out
they take nectar, we live and learn!
Bruce.
> YELLOW-FACED HONEYEATER - A very interesting year for these. In summary:
> only small numbers of passage migrants but huge numbers wintering in the
> area.
> The migration started early and finished late (at least until 22-23/5 in
> most areas) but in between, far fewer birds than usual moved through the
> area, especially along traditional routes, e.g. at Katoomba. An unusual
> eastward movement over Glenbrook on the morning of the 9/5 with an
> estimated 2-3000 birds seen flying over in an hour. From the middle of May
> we started to see huge numbers feeding on flowering banksias (B.
> ericifolia, marginata, spinulosa) in heathland and open-forest in the mid
> and upper mountains.
> FUSCOUS HONEYEATER - Another honeyeater not usually found in the
mountains,
> they have been seen at Katoomba during May and at Hassan's Walls, near
> Lithgow, on 2/6.
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message
"unsubscribe birding-aus" (no quotes, no Subject line)
to
|
