August bird banding

On a recent visit to the bush block, committee members Sam Lostrom and Andy McCreery, together with Kis Heiner and Heidi Nore, carried out bird banding as part of the ecological monitoring program. Mist-nets were established in both intact bushland and along the margins of rehabilitated paddocks. Regular bird banding at these sites will provide long-term data on resident bird populations and track the gradual colonisation of birds into rehabilitated areas over time.

The trip began slowly, with low captures in granite-associated vegetation, followed by rain and strong winds that forced mist-net closures. Conditions improved during the final days, resulting in a surge of bird activity. Species captured included White-browed Babbler, Red-capped Robin, White-fronted Honeyeater, Singing Honeyeater, and Redthroat. A highlight of the trip was the uncommon capture of a male Pied Honeyeater, a nomadic species that typically appears when food resources are abundant. In this case, local flowering shrubs such as Hakea, Grevillea, and Calothamnus provided ideal foraging conditions, and the species was regularly observed across the property.