Hi Steve,
They are classed as resident or sedentary in HANZAB, but there are
several old long-distance retraps recorded there, and some local
movements e.g. in response to drought.
My thought on the Northcote birds was that they are responding to the
flowering of young eucs planted locally a couple of years ago, but
they seem to be in quite common this year in several places,
including along the Merri/Yarra between Northcote and East Hawthorn.
I suppose its a complicated combination of factors, rainfall, nectar
supply etc. I do know that they have not been a year-round bird in
Northcote during my time there (six-seven years); when they have
turned up, they disappear after breeding. Do you get them regularly
in Alphington, ie year-round, and/or every year?
cheers,
James
At 09:34 AM 9/9/2006, Steve Creber wrote:
They are around Alphington - nearby to Norhcote - in larger numbers than
usual at the moment. This is not a species I associate with migration
movements though...am I wrong about that?
_____________________________
Steven Creber
Ph: 03 9474 9243
Fx: 03 9499 8283
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of James O'Connor
Sent: Friday, 8 September 2006 10:17 AM
To: Susie Anderson;
Cc:
Subject: Re: FW: Re: [Birding-Aus] Owls
Hi all,
White-plumed Honeyeaters appear to be arriving in large numbers in
the Melbourne area this year. I live in Northcote and they are
everywhere at the moment; I haven't seen them in my 'burb since 2003.
I sometimes see Tawnys on the Merri creek near Heidelberg Rd.
cheers,
James
At 10:33 PM 9/7/2006, Susie Anderson wrote:
>Hello Wendy and Birders,
>
>I live in the even more urban suburb of Brunswick (Melbourne) and in
summer
>I occasionally see a Tawny Frogmouth fly over my house. I've never seen
a
>Boobook (or heard one) around here but did add White-plumed honeyeater
to my
>garden list only last week.
>
>Cheers,
>Susan
>
>
> >From: "Wendy" <>
> >To: <>
> >Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Owls
> >Date: Thu, 7 Sep 2006 10:29:27 +1000
> >
> >I concur with Graham!
> >I have always been an owl fan, collecting images and figurines all my
life.
> >Let me share my own recent owl experience.
> >A couple of months ago I received notification from my council that
they
> >were going to do powerline clearance pruning of our street trees.
Last time
> >they did this they kindly stomped all over the correas and other
natives I
> >have planted in my naturestrip. To circumvent a repeat of this I
decided to
> >do the pruning myself . One evening while up a tall ladder in my
street
> >tree
> >(Lophostemon confertus) finishing the job I was amazed when an owl -
a
> >young
> >Boobook I assume - landed in the tree an arms length from me. It too
was
> >amazed at what it found and left immediately. I had observed a lot of
poo
> >at
> >that point but assumed this was from the huge number of Indian
Turtledoves
> >and Feral Pigeons my neighbour insisted on feeding in my yard, (I
won't
> >bore
> >you with reasons) or the local Indian Miner tribe. (I subsequently
looked
> >beneath for pellets but could find none. - the local flying foxes
use my
> >trees - tall Eucs to perch in and masticate palm fruits etc so I have
all
> >sorts of strange debris from that!)
> >I'm guessing the attraction of my home for the owl was the only large
trees
> >for quite some distance and the large number of mice in my front yard
> >attracted by my neighbours grain feeding of ferals.
> >I live in very urban (no bush) Coburg (inner Melbourne suburb) 1
block from
> >Bell St.
> >I've never heard owls calling here, and spend a lot of time in my
garden at
> >night. Have others noticed urban owls refrain from calling, or is
this
> >because they are unlikely to breed in such an area so have little
need for
> >mating/territorial calls?
> >Wendy
> >ps I am in a between circuits, insulated wire section of the power
grid.
> >
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