Blackbirds

Blackbirds are resident in Mulgoa Valley, (in the Blue MountIn foothills,) breed in our garden, are noisy and part of the scene.

They disappear when the temperature rises.

Germain to the Birding-Aus discussion, yesterday one was shrieking around the garden, first since about Christmas.

I assume that they are altitudinal migrants, flying into the Mountains to escape the heat, which can occasionally reach 45 C in the Valley, which acts like a heat sink in midsummer. Maybe they go South..

The Valley is a cold sink in winter with frosts,

Pink Robins and Golden Whistlers come down in winter, Rufous Whistlers appear, presumably migrating from the North, in summer.
Mulgoa Valley is a migratory flyway,

Yesterday a cloud of fifty plus Fairy Martins drifted North hawking. They nested under our eaves maybe 25 years ago in a wet season but only occasionally seen here since.

Twenty Welcome Swallows appeared two weeks ago, tentatively nest building but not nesting, Regular breeding spring residents but also vanished over summer, the recent arrivals acting differently, roosting away from the house.

Red-browed and Double Bar finches nesting.

Gangs of Magpies,

After some weeks of conflict while breeding, two families of three Purple Gallinules seem to have melded into one group but only of five.

Cheers

Michael
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