Mistnetting results from the 18th of June

Only two birds last month but this month, 24 and lots of retraps, (more than half of the birds caught)

Results as follows:

10 Superb Fairy Wren, of which 8 were retraps. (3y 7 m, 5y 5m, 1y 8m, 4m, 2y 1m, 2y 10m, 5y 4m, 4m)
5 White-browed Scrub Wren, of which 3 were retraps, (8 m, 2y 2m, 4m)
4 Brown Thornbill of which 1 was a retrap, (2y 2m)
3 Eastern Spinebill (no retraps)
1 White-plumed H/E (no retraps)
1 Eastern Yellow Robin which was a retrap (1y 10m)

These are pretty good results for Braeside. It’s good to get a few birds but the retraps are very interesting. It’s not uncommon to get a swag of retraps in one go and also for some to be old. Two Superb Fairy Wrens were over 5 years which is a good indication the population should survive in an isolated remnant, especially considering what they have been through during the past drought. Whilst the Spinebills would have been passing through, the Eastern Yellow Robin is more than likely home.

Some of the past revegetation projects in the Heathland are also looking pretty good, no doubt due to recent rain. The coming breeding season for birds in Braeside’s Heathland will be important and interesting to monitor. Feel free to join us at the next session which will be on the 13th of August. Be there at first light and bring a chair.

Quiet train line

On the Monday of the long weekend, I joined a friend, (Mark) on a walk in a sandy heath area of Lang Lang. We were able to walk along a disused train line, which was nice. Walking on the ballast was a bit of an effort but we did hear a couple of Eastern Whip birds among other species, 35 for the day.

Winter light

Theoretically, in mid winter at midday, the sun is at it lowest point on the horizon for the year. This also makes the afternoons light glorious.

The first photograph below is a vail of Tetragonia that hangs over our driveway at Rye. This afternoon, as I was leaving the light looked fantastic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next photograph is at Red Hill. It’s a driveway leading to an old shack. The shade of the trees partially hid the shack but a shard of light cut over the driveway.

Little shack at Red Hill

The Bubblers

Whilst travelling around central Australia I noticed I was being followed. Two very strange men followed my every move. It’s very weird. There were times I managed to get away from them but not for long.

There’s even a youtube clip of the bubbler http://bit.ly/mB9xPK  , but my stalkers were not there then. They were most likely busy stalking me.

Here is a picture of them as they look over the “bubbler”

 

At the Bubblers