After reading Richard Nowotny’s account of the migrating honeyeaters seen at Point Addis on the south coast of Victoria, Ruth and I decided to visit and see for ourselves. I must say that we were not disappointed! I suspect that the numbers of birds that we were seeing were a little less than reported by Richard and others in the previous couple of weeks, but a spectacular experience nonetheless.
>From the point itself, looking back over the scrub we saw many honeyeaters
flitting from bush to bush – most were White-naped and Yellow-faced. Every so often a large flock, of maybe several hundred birds, would take off and move further inland. We then drove back inland along the access road to the carpark at the nature walk (not the Ironbark Discovery Walk) and stopped there for a while. The trees around the carpark were swarming with White-naped, Yellow-faced, New Holland and White-eared honeyeaters and many, many Eastern Spinebills. In addition there were literally hundreds and hundreds of Silvereyes – all race Lateralis, as best as we could tell. The birds were certainly too numerous for us to count or even estimate numbers with any precision. It certainly appeared that the birds were passing through, though – for a number of minutes we’d see almost nothing but White-naped then they would start to thin out and we’d see only New Hollands for a few minutes, after that they might be replaced by Yellow-faced and then the cycle would start over again. Eastern Spinebills were continuously present in numbers greater than we’d ever seen at the same time. Also the Silvereyes were continuously present in large numbers.
>From this location we moved further north to the Discovery Walk in the
Ironbark forest. We saw a small number of Crescent Honeyeaters – certainly not the large numbers seen by others (I wonder if they have finished migrating?) We then found a waterhole on the walk and stopped there for about 45 minutes – during that time there was an endless number of mostly White-naped Honeyeaters flying in, having a quick bath and a drink and flying on. At times there would be 30-40 honeyeaters in the (tiny) waterhole with hundreds in the trees surrounding the waterhole waiting their turn.
This really should be one of those “must-do” experiences for birders, I think. It is absolutely incredible to see these birds in such numbers – and to see them in such a continuous stream.
Next year I think we’ll visit a few weeks earlier – maybe from the beginning of April.
Paul Dodd
Docklands, Melbourne
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In a message to Birding-Aus on 4/5/08, Paul Dodd wrote of the Yellow-faced and White-naped Honeyeater migration on the south coast of Victoria: "This really should be one of those 'must-do' experiences for birders, I think. It is absolutely incredible to see these birds in such numbers - and to see them in such a continuous stream."
Indeed it is! This year in Katoomba, NSW, the migration has been happening steadily but numbers have been relatively low. On many days I've had flocks of 50 or so going over my house every few minutes throughout the morning hours, but none of the really phenomenal days that I've had in some years (e.g. autumn 2006 when I estimated up to 7500 birds per hour flying over my house).
What is interesting is that many of the honeyeaters seem to be flying west this year, rather than a purely northwards movement. Perhaps an indication that this will be a good inland year here in central-eastern NSW. The growing honeyeater activity in the Capertee Valley at the moment backs this up.
Cheers,
Carol
-- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Carol Probets Guided birding in the Blue Mountains & Capertee Valley PO Box 330 Katoomba NSW 2780 Web: http://www.bmbirding.com.au ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Carol, this makes more sense to me now because the first flocks of migrating honeyeaters I saw (at Lawson, approx. 15 kms east of Katoomba) were heading west. Then there seemed to be a shift northwards for a while, now they seem to be heading in both directions (I guess it just depends when you're looking out the window - some have been going south too - go figure!) I thought they would have started petering out by now - I'm going to miss them when they do. They like stopping off to feed in our Banksias (spinifolia, I think), so it would be nice to plant some more.
While we're on flocks - this morning we saw flocks of 100 or so Feral Pigeons flying over Bullaburra and Lawson - they didn't seem to have any particular goal, just swooping around up high in fairly tight formations. Any idea what that's about? cheers, Arwen ......................................... Arwen Blackwood Ximenes Lawson, Blue Mountains, NSWarwe...@hotmail.com _________________________________________________________________ Search for local singles online @ Lavalife - Click here http://a.ninemsn.com.au/b.aspx?URL=http%3A%2F%2Flavalife9%2Eninemsn%2... birding-aus.blogspot.com
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> Carol, this makes more sense to me now because the first flocks of > migrating honeyeaters I saw (at Lawson, approx. 15 kms east of > Katoomba) were heading west. Then there seemed to be a shift > northwards for a while, now they seem to be heading in both > directions (I guess it just depends when you're looking out the > window - some have been going south too - go figure!) I thought > they would have started petering out by now - I'm going to miss > them when they do. They like stopping off to feed in our Banksias > (spinifolia, I think), so it would be nice to plant some more.
> While we're on flocks - this morning we saw flocks of 100 or so > Feral Pigeons flying over Bullaburra and Lawson - they didn't seem > to have any particular goal, just swooping around up high in fairly > tight formations. Any idea what that's about? > cheers, > Arwen > ......................................... Arwen Blackwood Ximenes > Lawson, Blue Mountains, NSWarwe...@hotmail.com > _________________________________________________________________ > Search for local singles online @ Lavalife - Click here > http://a.ninemsn.com.au/b.aspx?URL=http%3A%2F%2Flavalife9%2Eninemsn% > 2Ecom%2Eau%2Fclickthru%2Fclickthru%2Eact%3Fid%3Dninemsn%26context% > 3Dan99%26locale%3Den%5FAU%26a% > 3D30290&_t=764581033&_r=email_taglines_Search_OCT07&_m=EXT============ > ==================www.birding-aus.org > birding-aus.blogspot.com
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yes, thanks. Indeed this makes a lot of sense, though I don't know anything about the sport - I have seen utes squished full of pigeons around from time to time, one not long ago - and I did wonder... incidentally, today's pigeons were probably the 'blue bar' type. It's rather a relief they're not 'wild' because there were a lot of them!btw - Happy Mother's Day to all the 'hens' out there. A ......................................... Arwen Blackwood Ximenes Lawson, Blue Mountains, NSWarwe...@hotmail.com > Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 13:44:42 +1000> To: arwe...@hotmail.com> From: a...@optusnet.com.au> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Amazing birding experiences - honeyeater migration> > > > Sounds like racing pigeons> > Andy> > > > > >Carol, this makes more sense to me now because the first flocks of > >migrating honeyeaters I saw (at Lawson, approx. 15 kms east of > >Katoomba) were heading west. Then there seemed to be a shift > >northwards for a while, now they seem to be heading in both > >directions (I guess it just depends when you're looking out the > >window - some have been going south too - go figure!) I thought they > >would have started petering out by now - I'm going to miss them when > >they do. They like stopping off to feed in our Banksias (spinifolia, > >I think), so it would be nice to plant some more.> >> >While we're on flocks - this morning we saw flocks of 100 or so > >Feral Pigeons flying over Bullaburra and Lawson - they didn't seem > >to have any particular goal, just swooping around up high in fairly > >tight formations. Any idea what that's about?> >cheers,> >Arwen> >......................................... Arwen Blackwood Ximenes> >Lawson, Blue Mountains, NSWarwe...@hotmail.com> >_________________________________________________________________> >Search for local singles online @ Lavalife - Click here> >http://a.ninemsn.com.au/b.aspx?URL=http%3A%2F%2Flavalife9%2Eninemsn%2Ecom% 2Eau%2Fclickthru%2Fclickthru%2Eact%3Fid%3Dninemsn%26context%3Dan99%26locale %3Den%5FAU%26a%3D30290&_t=764581033&_r=email_taglines_Search_OCT07&_m=EXTww w.birding-aus.org> >birding-aus.blogspot.com> >> >To unsubscribe from this mailing list,> >send the message:> >unsubscribe> >(in the body of the message, with no Subject line)> >to: birding-aus-requ...@vicnet.net.au> _________________________________________________________________ Search for local singles online @ Lavalife - Click here http://a.ninemsn.com.au/b.aspx?URL=http%3A%2F%2Flavalife9%2Eninemsn%2... birding-aus.blogspot.com
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Dear Kurtis, Thanks for your suggestion, I hadn't thought of that - although I think they're unlikely to be Topknots in the Blue Mountains (although I may stand corrected). From your comparison of the flight of these two birds I would think they were Ferals. cheers, Arwen
Lawson, Blue Mountains, NSWarwe...@hotmail.com > From: littlehea...@bigpond.com> To: arwe...@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Amazing birding experiences - honeyeater migration(racing pigeons)> Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 18:20:54 +1000> > Arwen,> > Are you sure the Pigeons weren't Topknots?> These guys can form pretty tight, large flocks and fly around in circles > quite high in the sky.> From a distance their colouration depicts the 'bluebar' colouration of Feral > Pigeon, Topknots are generally longer, with larger tails and fly at a slower > speed than the Ferals.> > Kurtis Lindsay> > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Arwen B. Ximenes" <arwe...@hotmail.com>> To: <a...@optusnet.com.au>; <j...@iprimus.com.au>> Cc: <birding-...@vicnet.net.au>> Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2008 2:37 PM> Subject: [Birding-Aus] Amazing birding experiences - honeyeater > migration(racing pigeons)> > > > yes, thanks. Indeed this makes a lot of sense, though I don't know anything > about the sport - I have seen utes squished full of pigeons around from time > to time, one not long ago - and I did wonder... incidentally, today's > pigeons were probably the 'blue bar' type.> It's rather a relief they're not 'wild' because there were a lot of > them!btw - Happy Mother's Day to all the 'hens' out there.> A> ......................................... Arwen Blackwood Ximenes> Lawson, Blue Mountains, NSWarwe...@hotmail.com > Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 > 13:44:42 +1000> To: arwe...@hotmail.com> From: a...@optusnet.com.au> > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Amazing birding experiences - honeyeater > migration> > > > Sounds like racing pigeons> > Andy> > > > > >Carol, this > makes more sense to me now because the first flocks of > >migrating > honeyeaters I saw (at Lawson, approx. 15 kms east of > >Katoomba) were > heading west. Then there seemed to be a shift > >northwards for a while, now > they seem to be heading in both > >directions (I guess it just depends when > you're looking out the > >window - some have been going south too - go > figure!) I thought they > >would have started petering out by now - I'm > going to miss them when > >they do. They like stopping off to feed in our > Banksias (spinifolia, > >I think), so it would be nice to plant some more.> > >> >While we're on flocks - this morning we saw flocks of 100 or so > >Feral > Pigeons flying over Bullaburra and Lawson - they didn't seem > >to have any > particular goal, just swooping around up high in fairly > >tight formations. > Any idea what that's about?> >cheers,> >Arwen> > >......................................... Arwen Blackwood Ximenes> >Lawson, > Blue Mountains, NSWarwe...@hotmail.com> > >_________________________________________________________________> >Search > for local singles online @ Lavalife - Click here> > >http://a.ninemsn.com.au/b.aspx?URL=http%3A%2F%2Flavalife9%2Eninemsn%2Ecom% 2Eau%2Fclickthru%2Fclickthru%2Eact%3Fid%3Dninemsn%26context%3Dan99%26locale %3Den%5FAU%26a%3D30290&_t=764581033&_r=email_taglines_Search_OCT07&_m=EXTww w.birding-aus.org> > >birding-aus.blogspot.com> >> >To unsubscribe from this mailing list,> >send > the message:> >unsubscribe> >(in the body of the message, with no Subject > line)> >to: birding-aus-requ...@vicnet.net.au>> _________________________________________________________________> Search for local singles online @ Lavalife - Click here> http://a.ninemsn.com.au/b.aspx?URL=http%3A%2F%2Flavalife9%2Eninemsn%2Ecom%2 Eau%2Fclickthru%2Fclickthru%2Eact%3Fid%3Dninemsn%26context%3Dan99%26locale% 3Den%5FAU%26a%3D30290&_t=764581033&_r=email_taglines_Search_OCT07&_m=EXT=== =======www.birding-aus.org> birding-aus.blogspot.com> > To unsubscribe from this mailing list,> send the message:> unsubscribe> (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)> to: birding-aus-requ...@vicnet.net.au> =========== > _________________________________________________________________ Never miss another e-mail with Hotmail on your mobile. http://www.livelife.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=343869www.birding-... birding-aus.blogspot.com
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Topknot Pigeons are surprisingly rare in the Blue Mountains, in fact I'm only aware of one sighting - the one seen by Evan Beaver last year at Blaxland. Like Arwen, I also saw a large tight flock of pigeons on the weekend going over my house at Katoomba. My first thought was "Are they Topknots?" but on looking closer realised they were just racing pigeons. Must have been the weekend for them to be out.
>Dear Kurtis, >Thanks for your suggestion, I hadn't thought of that - although I >think they're unlikely to be Topknots in the Blue Mountains >(although I may stand corrected). From your comparison of the flight >of these two birds I would think they were Ferals. cheers, Arwen
>......................................... Arwen Blackwood Ximenes >Lawson, Blue Mountains, NSWarwe...@hotmail.com > From: >littlehea...@bigpond.com> To: arwe...@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: >[Birding-Aus] Amazing birding experiences - honeyeater >migration(racing pigeons)> Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 18:20:54 +1000> > >Arwen,> > Are you sure the Pigeons weren't Topknots?> These guys can >form pretty tight, large flocks and fly around in circles > quite >high in the sky.> From a distance their colouration depicts the >'bluebar' colouration of Feral > Pigeon, Topknots are generally >longer, with larger tails and fly at a slower > speed than the >Ferals.> > Kurtis Lindsay> > ----- Original Message ----- > From: >"Arwen B. Ximenes" <arwe...@hotmail.com>> To: ><a...@optusnet.com.au>; <j...@iprimus.com.au>> Cc: ><birding-...@vicnet.net.au>> Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2008 2:37 PM> >Subject: [Birding-Aus] Amazing birding experiences - honeyeater > >migration(racing pigeons)> > > > yes, thanks. Indeed this makes a >lot of sense, though I don't know anything > about the sport - I >have seen utes squished full of pigeons around from time > to time, >one not long ago - and I did wonder... incidentally, today's > >pigeons were probably the 'blue bar' type.> It's rather a relief >they're not 'wild' because there were a lot of > them!btw - Happy >Mother's Day to all the 'hens' out there.> A> >......................................... Arwen Blackwood Ximenes> >Lawson, Blue Mountains, NSWarwe...@hotmail.com > Date: Sun, 11 May >2008 > 13:44:42 +1000> To: arwe...@hotmail.com> From: >a...@optusnet.com.au> > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Amazing birding >experiences - honeyeater > migration> > > > Sounds like racing >pigeons> > Andy> > > > > >Carol, this > makes more sense to me now >because the first flocks of > >migrating > honeyeaters I saw (at >Lawson, approx. 15 kms east of > >Katoomba) were > heading west. >Then there seemed to be a shift > >northwards for a while, now > >they seem to be heading in both > >directions (I guess it just >depends when > you're looking out the > >window - some have been >going south too - go > figure!) I thought they > >would have started >petering out by now - I'm > going to miss them when > >they do. They >like stopping off to feed in our > Banksias (spinifolia, > >I >think), so it would be nice to plant some more.> > >> >While we're >on flocks - this morning we saw flocks of 100 or so > >Feral > >Pigeons flying over Bullaburra and Lawson - they didn't seem > >to >have any > particular goal, just swooping around up high in >fairly > >tight formations. > Any idea what that's >about?> >cheers,> >Arwen> > >......................................... >Arwen Blackwood Ximenes> >Lawson, > Blue Mountains, >NSWarwe...@hotmail.com> >
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