There has been quite a fuss among Canberra birders recently as we have had
first records of the Black-chinned Honeyeater and many records, including
flocks, of the locally usually hard to find Yellow-tufted Honeyeater. Whilst it
may be surprising that the Black-chinned Honeyeater has not been documented as
seen here before, that was the case.
Much more surprising was that on 21 June a White-fronted Honeyeater was found
at Jerrabomberra wetlands in the ACT. This is a place that has one or other of
the local birders visiting probably every day and probably the most likely spot
where any rare bird that lobs in the ACT is likely to be noticed. Being mostly
woodland and wetland even more so than the botanic gardens which is denser
habitat and so harder to see that one-off rare bird. Many people went out to
see it, mostly briefly (not all successfully) and it was last found on 22 June.
This has already been written up in Canberra Bird Notes (by Steve Holliday who
found it.)
Amazingly one White-fronted Honeyeater arrived in my Kambah (southern Canberra)
garden on Thursday 5 July. I heard it as I was walking out to go to the local
shop and thought that is one I don't know. It took a while to be sure of it
though. It has now been seen every day since. Something over ten people I think
have come out to see the bird and it has been extensively filmed and
photographed. Thus a second record within two weeks of the first. And of all
possible places, it appears in my garden (I have even heard the calls in the
morning from my bed.) What are the chances of that? Even better, it has stayed
around so far and has mostly been very easy to find (as in few people have
missed out). Mostly it has not taken more than a couple minutes to find it on
each attempt. I have only seen them before at Wyperfeld NP in the NW Vic mallee
region several hundred km away. This would have to be the easiest "twitch" of
my birding lifetime.
The question arises: is it the same bird? We don't know, but my house is about
20 km from Jerrabomberra wetlands.
Philip Veerman
24 Castley Circuit
KAMBAH ACT 2902
Phone. 02 - 62314041
(M) 0411 716177
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