K2C surveys – Bredbo area

Sun 14 April 2024 07:30am

Nicki Taws

COG will continue with the K2C surveys that have been running since April 2010. The surveyed properties have healthy populations of many of the rarer woodland birds such as Diamond Firetail, Hooded Robin and Speckled Warbler. We will be visiting the same sites to continue the monitoring and see if we can witness the autumn migrations. The surveys will be undertaken in ‘blitz’ fashion; that is, observers in small groups will visit a number of sites on one or more properties before regrouping for lunch and a sharing of the survey’s findings. Less experienced observers are welcome to join in the survey as each team will have at least one experienced observer. Anyone interested in participating is asked to contact Nicki Taws before Wednesday 10 April. Email: ntaws@bigpond.com or 0408 210 736.

Post event report

The autumn K2C surveys were held on a fine morning with light winds, although with a foggy start for a few sites around Bredbo. A total of 92 species was recorded, a good number for autumn given that many of the summer migrants had departed.

A highlight for many sites was the migration of honeyeaters, even during the fog. The majority of the flocks were Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, as expected, with a smaller proportion of White-naped. A few small flocks of Red Wattlebirds were noted migrating, and one Crescent Honeyeater. White-eared Honeyeaters were present in ones or twos at many sites and occasionally seemed to be moving with the Yellow-faced. The more sedentary honeyeaters were also in good numbers – Fuscous, Brown-headed and White-plumed.  No Noisy Friarbirds were recorded (which is usual for the autumn surveys).

Other highlights included Spotted Quail-thrush, a rarely recorded species in the surveys, Australian Owlet Nightjar recorded at 2 sites, and Pied Butcherbird with an immature bird – a very interesting breeding record. Eight Hooded Robins were recorded at Scottsdale in 3 separate locations, although this was the only property where they were recorded in this survey. Other threatened species were Scarlet Robin (8 properties), Dusky Woodswallow (8), Speckled Warbler (7), Brown Treecreeper (5), Flame Robin (3), Diamond Firetail (2), and Southern Whiteface (1), as well as Restless Flycatcher (2) and Jacky Winter (1).

Thank you to the volunteers, regular and new. Thanks also to the landholders for continued participation, and to Bush Heritage for hosting our post-survey lunch. The next surveys will be in October.

Nicki Taws

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