The purpose of this trip was for participants to observe and learn more about bird activity in winter in Canberra, including those that come down from the mountains to stay here, and those that decide not to join their peers in warmer climes at the coast or further north. The decision to go to a few places where some interesting birds were known to be in the hope of finding some of our target species, rather than go to a larger number of spots where they had been reported recently in the expectation that they may still be there, turned out to be a very wise one.
Our first stop was the SW corner of Callum Brae, entering through the very open barrier off Mugga Lane, and within 5 minutes we found our first altitudinal migrant, a White-eared Honeyeater sunning itself and uttering its typical “chew” call on a dead branch, allowing excellent views. Soon after we encountered a very typical phenomenon of the Canberra winter bird scene, a mixed feeding flock (MFF) consisting of treecreepers, thornbills, weebills, pardalotes, a couple of Speckled Warblers and three Diamond Firetails, as well as our second target species, 2 male and a female Scarlet Robin. Following this rather mobile MFF we were surprised to find two Grey Fantails, a summer migrant very few of which seem to be over wintering this year.
A bigger bonus came when we back-tracked and came upon a small flock of Brown-headed Honeyeaters feeding in surprisingly low and open positions in the regrowth, and allowing, for this species, great views. Bird life was much quieter when we moved into the more open area on the hillside, though we did observe a male Superb Fairy Wren in (recently acquired?) full breeding plumage vigorously pursuing a female. Finally just before we boarded the buses a couple of flocks of Silvereyes came through, but they were too high and the light too poor to ascertain whether any were of the Tasmanian buff-flanked form.
At the Botanic Gardens we moved quickly to the Sydney Gully and after seeing a number of Eastern Spinebills on the way we soon heard the loud call and then had great views (at least as good as you could expect with a group of over 20 people, well within binocular focus!) of the male Crescent Honeyeater, a number of which had been reported here on the chat line. Above them in the eucalypts we found several Fuscous Honeyeaters, quite high but co-operative enough for all participants could get reasonable views, including when they hawked for insects. Another Grey Fantail (perhaps two) was behaving similarly. Again our luck held as we moved across the Eucalypt lawn on the way to the Rainforest Gully when we came upon several White-naped Honeyeaters and a male Golden Whistler, both very co-operatively feeding in the trees above us, along with more fuscous, a White-throated Treecreeper and Striated Thornbills.
After lunch we had a complete change of scene, going out to Stromlo Forest Park where in the open country we very soon found our quarry the Flame Robin, with a couple of very brightly coloured males and at least one female in a MFF consisting of up to six White-fronted Chats, a similar number of Diamond Firetails and slightly more European Goldfinches, with some Eurasian Skylarks also in loose association, plus a flock of over twenty Red-rumped Parrots. We then pushed our luck too far hoping to find the Restless Flycatcher which has been present in the edge of Chapman during autumn/winter, but were rewarded by again great views of a pair of Scarlet Robins and another White-plumed Honeyeater, its very yellow face and distinct plume contrasting with those of the Fuscous seen earlier in the day.
A visit to a known active Satin Bowerbird bower, complete with lots of blue objects and a few yellow Sulphur-crested Cockatoo crest feathers, with a male close by, in Yarralumla rounded off the day very well in which round 60 species were seen, many incidentally. This included at least 8 of our 9 winter visitors, but only a couple of the over wintering summer migrants, though Phyl did see a Welcome Swallow early before we boarded the buses. Surprisingly the large flocks of white cockatoos/corellas so prominent this winter along median strips etc in central Canberra were not located.
So another very successful bus trip, which all participants thoroughly enjoyed and learnt lots. Well worth repeating. My thanks again to Jenny Bounds for helping to do the rekkies of where the birds were and in planning the itinerary, as well as driving the second bus.
— Jack Holland