trips

Date	Location
13th & 14th July	Coutts Crossing, Greg's Project
20th & 21st September	Shearwaters and Bobo River
8th & 9th October	Tullymorgan, Geoff's Project

Coutts Crossing 13-14 July 2005

A mid week banding session found three banders Greg Clancy, David Page and Bill Greenlees on Greg’s site at Coutts approximately 16km south of Grafton on the Armidale Road. The weather early on Wednesday morning was very “sus”cold and wet (we could have stayed in bed) but it developed into clearing showers and all systems go under a leaking tarpaulin. David packed up at lunch time wishing he had stayed in bed. Bird activity virtually ceased during showers but between showers there was much activity. Thursday was more sociable remaining fine all day and we were visited by Hans Beste a guest of Greg’s. A flock of Double-barred Finches attacked one of our nets late on Thursday afternoon as we were taking them down resulting in some birds being banded with the aid of car headlights. There were 56 new bandings and 7 retraps from 9 species.
Results: New bandings. Yellow-faced Honeyeater 18, Scarlet Honeyeater 2, Silvereye 15, Double-barred Finch 11, Painted Button-quail 1, Golden Whistler 2, Lewin’s Honeyeater 2, Rose Robin 1, Brown Honeyeater 4.
Retraps. Yellow-faced Honeyeater 1, Double-barred Finch 5, Golden Whistler 1.

Yuraygir National Park 25-26 June 2005

The week-end was at a new site for Pat Thompson’s project which was originally at Minniewater, but due to net predation by butcherbirds, Pat was forced to move down the road to the Diggers Camp area. Same project new site. The area is coastal heath and predominate vegetation is Banksias mainly B. ericafolia and B.aemula. There were five banders present Pat Thompson, Kevin Wood, David Page, Geoff Richards, and Bill Greenlees, one trainee bander Chris Donnan, one visitor Tessa Johnson and PhD student from USA based in Brisbane Jon Beadell and his assistant from Brisbane Michelle.
The site was also visited by Allan and Audrey Leishman on Sunday.
Most of the group camped at Boorkoom camping area and although Friday night was wet and windy the weather held up for the week-end.
Results: New bandings: Silvereye-177, White-cheeked Honeyeater-78, Eastern Spinebill-35, Brown Honeyeater-18, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater-16, Yellow-faced honeyeater-5, Noisy Friarbird-3, Little Wattlebird-1. Total new bandings-333 comprising 8 species. Retraps: Silvereye-4, White-cheeked honeyeater-1.
Pat should be pleased with her new site.

Coutts Crossing Banding 21-22 May

A smaller group descended on Greg Clancy's Coutts Crossing site for two days. Banders present were Greg Clancy, Geoff Richards, Jan Patterson and trainee bander Chris Donnan with Bill Greenlees looking on after recent knee surgery. The outing resulted in 46 new bandings and 2 retraps from 14 species. Only three species, Golden Whistler, Brown Honeyeater, and Yellow-faced Honeyeater were captured on both days. Of the remaining 11 species a completely different suite was captured on each day. Results: new bandings: Rose Robin(2), Golden Whistler(4), Grey Shrike-thrush(1), Brown Thornbill(1), Yellow-rumped Thornbill(1), Red-backed Fairy-wren(2), Spotted Pardalote(3), Eastern Spinebill(2), Brown Honeyeater(4), Lewin's Honeyeater(1), Yelow-faced Honeyeater(6), Double-barred Finch(16), Striated Pardalote(3), total 46. Retraps: Rufous Whistler(1), Yellow-rumped Thornbill(1).

Tullymorgan Banding April 30---May 01

Another large group attended a successful weekend of banding at Geoff Richards project at “Touchwood” about 20km, as the crow flies, North West of MacLean. There were five banders – Geoff Richards, Greg Clancy, David Page, Kevin Wood, and Jan Patterson - two trainee banders Steve Noy and Chris Donnan, one assistant Brent Smith and visiting helpers Val Clancy, Annie Donnan, Jo White and Rosie Richards. A serious banding effort resulted in a productive two days. 16 nets were employed on Saturday and 10 nets on Sunday resulting in a total of 120 birds processed comprising 93 new bandings and 27 retraps. The reputation of Geoff’s site for species diversity was upheld with 25 species being handled. Glossy Black Cockatoos were also observed at the site. – Results

Silvereye(19 new 3 retraps), Double-barred Finch(14 - 7), Red-browed Finch(12 – 3), Rose Robin(6 – 0), Golden Whistler(7 – 1), Yellow-faced Honeyeater(6 – 1), Olive-backed Oriole(6 – 0), Noisy Miner(3 – 0), Grey Fantail(2 – 0), Eastern Yellow Robin(2 – 2), Large-billed Scrubwren(2 – 0), Superb Fairy-wren(2 – 3), Spotted Pardalote(2 – 0), Bar-shouldered Dove(1 – 0), Willie wagtail(1 – 0), Eastern Whipbird(1 – 0), Varied Triller(1 – 0), Brown Thornbill(1 – 2), Variegated Fairy-wren(1 – 0), Red-backed Fairy-wren(1 – 0), Brown Honeyeater(1 – 0), Lewin’s Honeyeater(1 - 3), Noisy friarbird(1 – 0), Laughing Kookaburra(0 -1), Grey Shrike-thrush(0 – 1),

Gibraltar Range –Washpool 15-16-17 Feb. 2005

A large group assembled at Greg Clancy’s Gibraltar Range project for three days of banding. There were five banders present Greg Clancy, David Page, Pat Thomson, Geoff Richards and Kevin Wood, one trainee bander Steve Noy, and assistants and visitors Craig Cassidy, Heidi Watson and Taylor, Brent Smith, Chris Donnan, Simon Clayton, Val Clancy, Rosie Richards, Dave Stewart, Tess Walker, and Adam Smith. This was as much a social gathering as it was a banding outing and an enjoyable time was had by all. A separate banding site was used each day with a total of 146 birds being banded and 3 retraps, from 27 species. – Results.

Gibraltar Range, Rangers Office:
Rufous Fantail–2, Rose Robin-1, Eastern Yellow Robin–10, Golden Whistler-11, Grey Shrike-thrush-1, Eastern Shrike-tit-1, Brown Thornbill-4, White-browed Scrubwren-4, Variegated Fairy-wren-1, White-throated Treecreeper-3, Spotted Pardalote-1, White-naped Honeyeater-1, Yellow-faced Honeyeater-3, New Holland honeyeater-3, Red-browed Finch-6. Total 52. Retraps Grey Shrike-thrush-1 (original banding 13-11-99).

Gibraltar Range, Surveyors Creek:
Grey Fantail-1, Scarlet Robin-1, Eastern Yellow Robin-1, Rufous Whistler-2, Grey Shrike-thrush-2, Striated Thornbill-8, Brown Thornbill-2, White-browed Scrubwren-6, White-throated treecreeper-1, Yellow-faced Honeyeater-1, Red-browed Finch -3, Total 28. No retraps.

Washpool, Dundarra Gully:
Grey fantail-1, Rufous Fantail-8, Black-faced Monarch-1, Eastern Yellow Robin-8, Golden Whistler-4, Grey Shrike-thrush-2, Brown Thornbill-3, White-browed Scrubwren-7, Yellow-throated Scrubwren-8, Large-billed Scrubwren-3, Variegated Fairy-wren-1, Red-browed Treecreeper-4, Eastern Spinebill-1, Lewin’s Honeyeater-1, New Holland Honeyeater-2, White-cheeked Honeyeater-1, Red-browed finch-11. Total 66.
Retraps Large-billed Scrubwren-1(original banding 14-11-99), Pied Currawong-1(original banding at nearby Bellbird Rest Area by Andrew Ley (23-11-96).

Greg Clancy's site at the South Grafton Water Reserve was the location for one day's banding on 5th July. The vegetation at this site is predominately Spotted Gum with some Grey Box and Ironbark and scattered Forest Red Gum. The weather was fine and mild and those present were Greg Clancy, Russell Jago, Maureen O'Shea and Bill Greenlees. Nine nets were employed for a catch of 22 birds of only four species. There were no retraps. Birds caught were Fuscous Honeyeater(11), Superb Fairy-wren(8), Brown Treecreeper(2), and Golden Whis

tler (1).

Banding was again carried out at Greg Clancy's site at Coutts Crossing those present were Greg Clancy, David Page, Geoff Richards and Geoff's daughter- in-law visiting from Canada, Bill Greenlees and Nick Murray an honours student from the Gold Coast. The weather was fine and sunny on Saturday, fine and overcast on Sunday. A total of 15 nets were employed producing 57 birds comprising 20 species with 43 new bandings and 14 retraps. A feature of the outing was the number of Golden Whistlers caught (mostly grey birds).

Birds netted were Double-barred Finch (14 new 2 retrap) Golden Whistler (10-2) White-throated Honeyeater (4-2) Buff-rumped Thornbill (3-1) Brown Honeyeater (3-1) Weebill (2-2) Grey Fantail (2-1) Scarlet Robin (0-1) Red-backed Fairy-wren (1-1) Yellow-faced Honeyeater (1-1) Rose Robin (3) Rufous Whistler (2) Silvereye (2) Willie Wagtail (2) Yellow-rumped Thornbill (2) and Striated Pardalote, Spotted Pardalote, White-throated Gerygone, Speckled Warbler, Eastern Spinebill one each.

Two days of banding at Greg Clancy's site at Coutts Crossing approximately 20 km south of Grafton resulted in a total of 80 birds being processed. There were 72 new bandings and 8 retraps comprising 21 species. Habitat at this sight is dry open forest/woodland mainly Spotted Gum and Forest Red-gum and a previously cleared area of regrowth Paperbark.. The weather was fine and warm following recent rain and those attending were Greg Clancy, Geoff Richards, David Page and Bill Greenlees.

The new bandings were Laughing Kookaburra, Grey Shrike-thrush, Brown Thornbill, Scarlet Honeyeater, Eastern Spinebill, Brown Honeyeater, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Australian Magpie (1 each). Buff-rumped Thornbill, Speckled warbler, Pied butcherbird, (2 each). Weebill, Red-backed Fairy-wren, White-throated Honeyeater (3 each). Willie Wagtail, Golden Whistler, (4 each). Grey Fantail (5), Yellow-faced Honeyeater (7), Rufous Whistler (8), Yellow-rumped Thornbill (9), Double-barred Finch (12). The retraps were Blue-faced Honeyeater (1), Rufous Whistler (2), White-throated Honeyeater (5).

The 3 Weebills were the first banded at this sight and the retrapped Blue-faced Honeyeater was originally banded at this sight on 11.09.96 over 7 years 6months after banding.