small birds

Yes, the small birds are struggling with the conditions, here too. With shifts in the seasons, all species up to & incl. wattlebird-sized birds have diminished. Disappearing for long periods of intensified or unseasonal weather, they return only in single pairs, if at all, so far, with only the previously most common / residents reappearing in the gaps between weather events. This was first obvious with the great flock of Rainbow Lorikeets that had built up nearby – It has been several years since ex-TC Debbie removed the colony, & the birds only began appearing in small numbers again recently. On the smaller scale, the other most common residents that are scarce presently are Lewin’s H/e, Brown Thornbill, White-b Scrubwren. Two butcherbird spp. alternate seasonally here usually, but are both scarce just now. Even the kookaburras, frogmouths, figbirds are diminished … I won’t go on except to say that the seasonal or occasional species are now absent (or rare at best) – e.g. N.Friarbirds, Spinebills & Scarlet H/e; G.Fantails, W.Wagtails; pardalotes; cuckoos & swifts; Crimson Rosella, Galah, & other parrots –

Judith
SEQ 500m
​jlukin01@postoffice.csu.edu.au