Speakers: Glenise Moors and Jan Orr. 24 Jan, 2006.

Aims of the project. In 1999, Glenise Moors, assisted by Janice Orr and Anne Bridley, began a project aimed at

• determining the size of the group of robins in the Big Hill Range [Mt Herbert area] at Sedgwick near Bendigo.
• did individual birds remain at the site for the entire season, or for only a short period during migration?

The site is over 100 hectares in area and contains granite and metamorphic rocks. It has a scattering of mature eucalypts and some acacias.

Trapping the birds. This is the only project in Australia that uses colour banding, a method aimed at making field identification possible without re-trapping.

Because the site is unsuitable for most netting, small spring nets resembling spread, semi-circular butterfly wings are used to trap the birds. Meal worms are used as bait.

About half a dozen traps are set at a time, and checked out at approximately half-hour intervals. The site is checked four days each week, with trapping taking place on two or three of these days.

Over time, expertise in siting the traps has increased, being reflected in increased numbers of trapped birds. Careful observation has been necessary to gain expertise and subsequently find and identify banded birds. Binoculars and telescopes are used extensively. Needless to say, the active nature of such a diminutive bird makes observation difficult at the best of times and extraordinarily difficult under adverse weather conditions.

Once caught, birds are sexed and given four bands, with two on each leg. The left leg has an alloy band with a coloured plastic band above it, while the right leg has two coloured plastic bands. The combinations of bands are unique for each individual, enabling re-identification in the field.

Some results. In the seven years from 1999, 541 birds were banded. In 2005, two birds banded in 1999 returned to the site, four banded in 2000, six from 2001, 37 from 2002, 14 banded in 2003 and 27 from 2004.

Glenise et al recognise two types of fidelity at the study site

• birds that are identified at the site over consecutive years, but do not remain
• birds that return to the site on consecutive years and remain there.

To be deemed a resident bird, it must be seen at least once in 10 of the weeks of the season.

Over the years

• 2003: 177 birds identified, 30 were resident
• 2004: 122 birds identified, 26 resident
• 2005: 91 birds, 27 resident.

This is a very brief outline of the talk. The project is quite obviously time consuming and at times quite arduous, but will most likely provide a range of valuable information, not necessarily only about Flame Robins.

Frank Truscott

1: Hedge Wattle in flower. Big Hill, at the base of Mt Herbert. Aug 2000.
2: Gnarled Red Gum, Mt Herbert. Sept 2000. Both photos on granite.