It's been an interesting year for the Helmeted Honeyeater Recovery Team. The Yellingbo populations are holding their place on the globe (they tend to stay put in the general area they're released or wild born) and they're breeding well. The Bunyip State Park populations are proving more challenging to keep track of. They seem to be finding richer pastures than the release sites - somewhere - whilst making an occasional visit back to where they were released! Different individual birds are being seen intermittently at sites well away from the release sites, including areas that had been burnt in the Feb 2009 fires. Not exactly what was expected, but, the ultimate aim is that the birds find their own way in the world and establish colonies. Perhaps this is nature telling us people aren't that good at choosing the best habitat for them.Meanwhile, we are still seeing breeding activity with 3 known pairs currently sitting on nests at Yellingbo and new fledglings just joining the population at Bunyip State Park. How luck are we to be part of this fantastic program? Want to find out how you can help?
Image: A typical Helmeted Honeyeater nest
Photographer: S Tardif
