Hi all,
Just an update on the Regent Honeyeaters currently being seen in Werakata
National Park, near Cessnock, NSW.
Today we found around 40 birds, split between 2 main sites - one near Pelton
and one near Kitchener. Previously, the highest count we have had was about 40
birds in early June at Pelton (including 30 birds in a single large Spotted
Gum). There are still birds at the Pelton site but they are moving around (e.g.
there has not been any in that large Spotted Gum for over a week now). Today, 6
birds were on the southern side of the 'first gully', where they had originally
been found by Steve Roderick in late May. Unfortunately Noisy Miners appear to
have moved into the area and were seen chasing Regents away today.
At least a further 10 birds were to the south of the spot where people have
been leaving their vehicles, in an area that until now had only 2 faithful
birds. Most of these birds are concentrated around a couple of large, flowering
Spotted Gums. 2 birds, however, were seen 50-100m away in smaller non-flowering
trees (they didn't appear to be feeding).
We checked the flowering Ironbark that Edwin Vella had found 20-odd birds in a
few weeks ago and there were none today - this tree has been 'empty' for nearly
a fortnight now. Despite there being dozens of Little Lorikeets and a host of
Honeyeaters in this and numerous other Ironbarks a few weeks ago, there is
really nothing going on in these trees at present. The deafening silence from a
complete lack of Little Lorikeets is possibly a sign that the 'good stuff' has
finished in this blossom.
The Kitchener birds are interesting (the Kitchener site is about 6km to the
east of Pelton). This site was discovered by Robert and Margaret Stewart last
Sunday when they reported 3 Regents along the ecotone of a cleared paddock to
the bush. The birds here are actually feeding in a locally endemic undescribed
species of Stringybark (with affinities to E. agglomerata and E. capitellata)
and are happily using some trees on the edge of the paddock. Most birds,
however, are slightly off the ridge in the flowering Stringybark trees. There
are also some birds further to the north on a flat ridge, again into the
Stringybark blossom. There were probably more than 20 birds at this site today.
The most birds seen at one time was 12-15 (and these birds were distinct from
the 'edge birds' and 'ridge birds', so 20+ is a reasonable estimate). As they
were a few weeks ago at Pelton, the Regents are the dominant Honeyeater in many
of these trees at the moment. It's a
magnificent sight.
And much habitat in the area remains unchartered by birders. It would be great
if people could explore beyond these sites as there is quite a lot of country
that hasn't been searched and that doubtless contains blossoming trees.
Also of note were 5 Swift Parrots at the Kitchener site, with more birds heard
by Lucas Grenadier further along the track later in the day. The usual flocks
of Little Lorikeets were at both locations, the greatest concentration being 30
birds in a tree at Pelton. Black-chinned HE's were heard several times at both
Pelton and Kitchener. Good numbers of Fuscous HE at both sites, White-plumed
HE's and Speckled Warblers were at Kitchener, whilst a Scarlet Robin was heard
there too.
I sure picked a great time to be trotting off to Vietnam!
Cheers,
Mick
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