Sunday 20 Feb, 2005, c. 11.00 am (Daylight Saving)
Banyule Billabong, Banyule Flats Reserve, Heidelberg, Vic.
Weather warm and muggy, sun coming out of cloud.
Mosquitoes innumerable and voracious
A very lively mixed-species feeding flock on the banks of the Billabong,
eastern Island corner, by the former Hide site, comprising:
Superb Blue Wrens - lots - at least 2 family groups
Red-browed Finches - scattered flock in grasses and low bushes
Silvereyes - at all heights but seldom near ground - lots, all pale buff
flanks still
Grey Fantails - 3 or 4
White-browed Scrubwren - 2 birds working through lower growth on water's
edge
Brown Thornbills in wattle foliage -lots
Mistletoe-birds - one pair, appeared briefly. Male briskly chased away a
Red-browed
Finch when it suddenly perched on the same branch. Only called once or
twice.
The place seemed alive with little birds rapidly moving back and forth
between the north bank below the path and the island, above the shallow
water remaining from the recent floods.
Later that morning I saw a female or immature Darter swimming in the
Yarra, usually with only head and a little of the neck above water.
Blackfaced Cuckoo-shrikes and Grey Butcherbirds are still being followed
by dependent flying young, quite noisy.
Anthea Fleming
Next time I will not forget the insect repellent.
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