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The Muskies are back at the DPI&F Tor St complex after about a 2-month absence. First noticed them calling yesterday. Plenty around early this morning. It's good to be able to pinpoint their return this time.

Flowering eucalypts near the western side of the complex appear to be the reason they return like clockwork around this time of year. Not sure what species of eucalypt but if anyone knows, please let me know.

About a week later than last year, but true to form the Muskies are back at DPI&F. 'MUSiK' to my ears for the next 6-7 months!

Surprisingly, the muskies have been absent for a few weeks at DPI&F but am pleased to say they're back again.

The Tawny Frogmouth is nesting again in the usual tree outside the caretaker's residence.

Not sure whether I've been just missing them but after perhaps 4-6 weeks of not seeing or hearing musk lorikeets around work at Wilsonton they are now starting to become evident again.

They have also turned up at home (Upper Lockyer) this week and are building up their numbers daily. I have only recorded them here in 2009 during autumn & winter; I think that's the year there was a significant influx of them all over SEQ.

I'm a bit intrigued with muskies compared to the more obvious and widespread Scaly-breasted and Rainbow lorikeets in our region. I know most people are probably not even aware of them because they are more shy and don't come in for bird seed like the others. It's their less harsh, more musical call that is the key to picking them up.

From my experience, Musk Lorikeets are patchily distributed in Toowoomba but can be reliably seen most months. They appear to be permanent residents in Highfields north of Toowoomba, yet east of Toowoomba, in the Lockyer Valley are uncommon or absent most years. I'm not sure whether this is more to do with food preferences, habitat requirements, altitude or something else. Historically, Lord (1956) had this to say about them in the Murphy's Creek area:

First recorded in 1936 when they were plentiful on the blossoms of Callistemon citrinus, and for several years they regularly arrived in spring and summer when trees were in blossom, and also fed on the berries of pepperina trees. There was no record after 1946 until January 1952.

Be interested to hear your thoughts and any other reports from the Lockyer lately.

Cheers
Mick

Reference:

Lord, E.A.R. (1956) The Birds of the Murphy's Creek District, Southern Queensland). The Emu. 56:100-128.

There were three -possibly more- Musk Lorikeets feeding with Scaly-breasted Lorikeets in a flowering tree along the more north-western section of Frew Street a few days ago. I'd say there were probably more, as I have yet to fully reacquaint myself with the subtleties between the two calls. In saying, that, I felt that more were likely.