Hi Birders,
I've been noticing particularly high numbers of Dusky Woodswallows on
the move, with many seen in the Capertee Valley yesterday and on
Kings Tableland (Blue Mountains, NSW) last weekend.
Also seen during yesterday's visit to the Capertee Valley: Spotted
Quail-thrush have turned up at the bottom of the scree slope near my
dam for the first time since 2004. One was performing its territorial
song, as well as the high-pitched contact note. I hope they hang
around for the winter as they did in 2004. Other winter visitors just
arrived in my patch of the valley are Golden Whistler and Eastern
Spinebill, and a female Red-capped Robin was down in the front
paddock (usually a winter visitor there but this bird has been around
for the past few months).
All the local finches, including Plum-heads, are relatively easy to
find at the moment, as are Southern Whitefaces. On the other hand,
there is a marked absence of honeyeaters throughout the valley - even
the Fuscous and Yellow-tufted seem to have deserted most of their
usual haunts.
The grass is tall and the rank weedy growth in some places near the
river has reached more than 2 metres high. Most of the dams contain
water but the river is still dry, apart from a few pools. More rain
is still needed.
Up here in the Blue Mountains, the Yellow-faced Honeyeaters are
migrating through Katoomba in reasonable numbers and this morning
there was a single Fuscous amongst them. So far, not many White-naped
in the flocks.
Three Scarlet Robins at Mount York the other day were a visual treat
for me and my visitors.
cheers,
Carol
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carol Probets
Guided birding in the Blue Mountains & Capertee Valley
PO Box 330
Katoomba NSW 2780
Web: http://www.bmbirding.com.au
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
===============================
www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
send the message:
unsubscribe
(in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
to:
===============================
|