Autumn Bird Survey

 Marking the changing seasons was the absence of all the calls of summer migrants including Sacred Kingfisher, Dollarbird, Channel-billed Cuckoo and Eastern Koel. The bush certainly has a different sound about it now. Also absent by the lack of calling was the likely resident Olive-backed Oriole; these birds just go quiet outside the breeding season and will remain basically undetected unless stumbled upon.

The other signal of change is the early winter eucalypt blossom and the mass movement (semi-migration) of those that chase the nectar. Increasing flocks of Yellow-faced Honeyeaters on the move were calling in briefly and producing spikes in overall numbers of birds present during two of the formal surveys.

Inspection of the two known bowers confirmed a couple of slight changes. The established bower at Carey Bay appears to have been relocated again and is situated within a small stand of Senna sp. immediately behind the planted border. Previously this bower was beneath some lantana a few metres away. The newly established bower in the West Ridge (south) site appears to be slightly better built than two months ago. Comparison of photos taken then and now also reveal that several yellow clothes pegs have been removed. Nothing but blue plastic decorations will do, it appears.

Inspection of Stansfield Reserve over the burnt ground from the environmental burn carried out a week earlier was just amazing. Almost all the ground cover of the burnt ground has been reduced to ash and it will be very interesting to see what jumps back out of the soil in the future; native grasses or ground asparagus.

The full Autumn report can be viewed online