The COG outing to view the honeyeater migration was held in some of the worst conditions you could want for birdwatching. Despite gale force winds and snow showers on the nearby ranges, two hardy souls joined me on Sunday morning. We headed straight to Tharwa Sandwash, not even bothering to visit the high exposed ridge on Smiths Rd where, on a good day, thousands of honeyeaters will pass through.
However, unbelievably, at the Sandwash the honeyeaters were migrating. In two hours we counted over 400 honeyeaters rocketing through. Blasted by the westerly wind, they came past low and fast in groups of 10-20, barely pausing for breath in the trees and shrubs. About 70% were Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, the rest White-naped, plus a couple of White-eared and a Crescent Honeyeater.
In between the showers and wind gusts we were able to enjoy some of the other delights of this spot: a flock of 50 Red-browed Finches, intermixed with a few Double-barred Finches, Speckled Warbler, distant views of a Brown Treecreeper on the north bank, 10 Dusky Woodswallows, and the highlight - two obliging Hooded Robins, both male, one sub-adult. This stretch of the Murrumbidgee was marked by a dearth of waterbirds, but despite this and the general absence of raptors (only a pair of Wedge-tailed Eagles), we recorded 38 species, including a Tawny Frogmouth and Restless Flycatcher seen on departing.
— Nicki Taws