More Swift Parrots around Walbundrie

["Matthew Herring" <>]

G'day All,

 

This morning (18/7) i was delighted to find more Swift Parrots. This time it was a flock of about 15 in a large Blakely's Red Gum remnant approximately 7 km north of Walbundrie. I had fabulous views of the birds feeding and preening, and being startled by a pair of Brown Falcons. I have been unable to relocate any Swifties at the two sites where i recorded them on Saturday, but my gut feeling is that Debbie Saunders should expect several more forms over the coming week or two from the Walla/Walbundrie area. To cap off a good morning at this site were two male Hooded Robins, previously unrecorded here. It is only my fifth site for Hooded Robins in the Eastern Billabong catchment so, with the Swifties, i was doubly excited. Local landholders are also very excited about the presence of threatened 'Tasmanian' parrots in the Walla Walla/Walbundrie area.

 

A pair of Brolgas at a nearby Canegrass swamp finished off a successful morning. This swamp, like most in the riverina, has been dry for 18 months and if the meteorologists are correct it looks like they will stay dry until winter/spring next year. Interestingly, it appears many artificial/highly-modified wetlands that are usually too deep and unsuitable for Brolgas are used for breeding in dry years, like last year, so i'll be keeping my eyes peeled on those. I can't find any more than one Yellow-plumed Honeyeater at Walbundrie, but it was still present on Tuesday. In a similar fashion to the influx of Budgerigars we had in the Albury-Wodonga region in April, i think the yellow-plumed is a sign that the more arid species are being pushed to the eastern edges of their ranges, especially as conditions continue to deteriorate further west.

Cheers, Matt Herring.

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