I had much the same experience as Sean while birding along Long Forest
Road, near Melton, on 24th May. We came across large flocks of Spotted
Pardalotes, literally dozens strong which were foraging mostly on the
ground with a few Yellow-rumped Thornbills. I had never seen so many
Pardalotes of any species together before or spending so much time on
the ground. So maybe they have changed their behaviour due to the
fires/climate conditions.
Mark Stanley
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of Sean Dooley
Sent: Monday, 6 July 2009 11:22 AM
To: ; 'birding birding-aus'
Cc: 'Marlene Lyell'
Subject: Missing Pardalotes Central Victoria
Hi Bob, Jenny and others,
Perhaps many pardalotes could have been lost in the fires but I suspect
there may be more going on with the lack of pardalote sightings in
(particularly Central) Victoria. While there has been little flowering
of eucalypts, particularly in the box-ironbark woodlands due to the
drought (although I am not sure we can call this a drought anymore as
this is the thirteenth year of below average rainfall in much of
Victoria- thirteen years of both El Nino and La Nina weather patterns;
we currently are supposed to be in a "good" year yet it has been our
driest first six months in a year ever) more importantly for pardalotes,
there has been very little lerp activity. Lerp are the sugar-rich
casings of insects that bury themselves in the leaves of eucalypts, and
constitute a major part of a pardalote's diet. Interestingly, Swift
Parrots have virtually abandoned Victoria this year- another species
that can feed extensively on lerp.
Whether the pardalotes have moved out of the state or died off, I guess
we will only know once we have another good, wet year (which feels at
the moment like we will be waiting for a long time.)
I recently also had a pardalote experience at Long Forest, though not in
the league of Jenny's thousand odd birds. But two weeks ago while there
I came across a feeding party of 20+ Spotted Pardalote and at least a
single Striated (probably of the substriatus race). The unusual thing
was that they were all feeding on the ground. I couldn't determine what
they were eating but suspect that as they weren't feeding in the trees
there was no lerp about.
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of Bob Cook
Sent: Sunday, 5 July 2009 10:31 PM
To: birding birding-aus
Cc: 'Marlene Lyell'
Subject: Missing Pardalotes Central Victoria
Hi all
I am wondering whether anyone else has observed the "disappearance" of
Pardalotes, both Spotted & Striated, from Central Victoria over the last
few months. Here at Axedale, between Bendigo & Heathcote, Pardalotes
have been constant residents and active breeders (especially Striated)
ever since we have been here - now 3 years. We have not seen any
Striated since March and only one or two sightings of Spotted in April.
We would regularly see up to
25 Striated Pardalotes around the house and perhaps 3 rounds of breeding
(in especially placed boxes) during 2008. I am wondering whether it has
anything to do with either the aftermath of the Vic bushfires, or just
generally a very dry start to 2009, or what??.
We are about 30 kms North of the bushfire at Redesdale and 25 kms East
of the fire in Bendigo, so I don't really see how that could be a
reason.
Has anyone else noticed a significant change in Pardalote presence??
Any
explanation suggested?
Bob Cook
Axedale
(now a lot wetter since reasonable rain starting in May)
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