birding-aus

Migrating honeyeaters

To: Roger Giller <>
Subject: Migrating honeyeaters
From: Andy Burton <>
Date: Mon, 30 May 2016 22:20:41 +0000
I find this north vs south migration interesting. But as I understand it, 
during the cooler months, there are more Yellow-faced Honeyeaters in the north 
and fewer in the south This is strongly suggestive of a northerly movement.

I wonder whether movements other than the northward one, are of birds 
travelling in search of food resources within the general northern movement. It 
is quite possible that the smell of Eucalyptus blossom carried by a southerly 
breeze would encourage the birds to turn back, on a temporary basis.

Andy











> On 30 May 2016, at 10:04 PM, Roger Giller <> wrote:
>
>
> I have just reviewed an eBird record of 4000 in a 1hr 25min period from
> Wattamolla in Royal National Park. Date May 6 2016. The record comment
> mentions that "all but a few were flying south"
>
> Cheers
> Roger.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Birding-Aus  On Behalf Of
> Roger Giller
> Sent: Monday, 23 May 2016 10:39 PM
> To: 'Carol Probets'
> Cc: 
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Migrating honeyeaters
>
> Hi Carol,
>
>
>
> I have been keeping a weekly bird list from home for a few years, just
> recording presence or absence for each week of the year. The results for
> Yellow-faced Honeyeater
>
> are:-
>
>
>
> 2012 Weeks 15-23
>
> 2013 Weeks 13-25
>
> 2014 Weeks 12-26
>
> 2015 Weeks 18-20
>
> 2016 Weeks 13-21 (now)
>
>
>
> In all years I have not noticed any strong directional component in their
> flight apart from the fact that they don't appear to be moving northward.
>
> It looks like I will be paying closer attention to them for the rest of this
> season, and in years to come.
>
>
>
> Cheers
>
> Roger
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Carol Probets 
> Sent: Monday, 23 May 2016 11:41 AM
> To: Roger Giller
> Cc: Paul Doyle; 
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Migrating honeyeaters
>
>
>
> Hi Paul and Roger,
>
>
>
> This is intriguing. Normally I'd guess it's some sort of local irregularity
> but I've also heard other recent reports of southward movement, not only in
> Sydney but from north coast NSW. As I wrote last month, this autumn we saw a
> bumper northward honeyeater migration through the Blue Mountains, especially
> during April, and this was reinforced by the spectacular movement through
> the Hunter Valley as reported by Mick Roderick and others. I assume this was
> due to very dry conditions further south.
>
>
>
> Why many are now heading south again this early beats me. As far as I know
> the banksias are flowering OK up the coast...? Interesting that Roger has
> noted the same thing in previous years (was it this early, Roger?). It all
> shows just how how much we still don't know about these common yet
> mysterious little travellers.
>
>
>
> I'd be interested to hear where else people are seeing them (especially
> Yellow-faced and White-naped) in significant numbers, either migrating or
> feeding.
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
>
>
> Carol
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>> On 23 May 2016, at 9:31 am, Roger Giller <> wrote:
>
>>
>
>> I am at Barden Ridge, about 5 km SW of Paul, and have noted the same
> thing,
>
>> in previous years as well as now. Manly south with some random excursions
>
>> between various trees but of all the directions north would be the
> minority.
>
>> Roger.
>
>>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>
>> From: Birding-Aus  On Behalf
> Of
>
>> Paul Doyle
>
>> Sent: Sunday, 22 May 2016 1:36 PM
>
>> To: 
>
>> Subject: [Birding-Aus] Migrating honeyeaters
>
>>
>
>> Hi all,
>
>> For the last few weeks I have been watching flocks of honeyeaters, mainly
>
>> Yellow-faced as far as I can tell, moving past my place at Como, in
> southern
>
>> Sydney (34degree 59 S, 151 degrees, 04 E).
>
>> Interested to see that every one of them so far, without exception, have
>
>> been moving pretty much due South. I realise that there could be some
>
>> irregularity in the directions travelled as they follow topography, etc.,
>
>> but it still seems strange.
>
>> Any ideas anyone?
>
>> Paul
>
>>
>
>>
>
>>
>
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