The view ‘upstream’ along Mia Mia Creek
The benefit of visiting places on a regular basis is that you start to pick up the rhythms and patterns that otherwise go unnoticed. I’ve been to the Rotunda Park each evening this week – on all occasions a family of Laughing Kookaburras have arrived, as if on cue, to perch (and sing) in the trees along the Mia Mia creekline. Just when you think you’ve got things ‘sorted out’ though the unexpected happens … in the form of a flock of Rainbow Lorikeets. These noisy visitors have been seen in ones and two around Newstead in recent years (including a recent observation at Newstead Natives), but I can’t recall a flock of a dozen before. Over the past couple of decades Rainbow Lorikeets have become a feature of urban environments around Australia – local places including Bendigo, Castlemaine and Maryborough now have well established populations, where they were previously absent or rare. I rarely see them in intact bushland – this is where their smaller relatives (Little, Purple-crowned and Musk Lorikeets) appear to hold the advantage. Interestingly the Rainbows were feeding mainly on Box Mistletoe, in the company of a few Musk Lorikeets.
Laughing Kookaburra, 17th February 2016
Rainbow Lorikeet after feeding in the mistletoe
Rainbow Lorikeet in flight
One of the early invaders?
Natural Newstead 
It will be interesting to see if the smaller lorikeets are displaced by the Rainbows if they become ‘residents’. I had a few go over home a couple of years ago and was happy when they continued on their way.
In this years Great Aussie Backyard Bird Count Rainbow Lorikeets were the most sighted bird in all states except Tassie and NT. They’re very aggressive invaders and are well established in urban areas in the West. Expect to see more of them.
They are in Alice Springs which is a bit of a worry for the local ring necks who already have “housing” issues with a shortage of trees providing hollows.
Geoff, still love all your posts, great photography. Could you please keep your eyes open for Major Mitchells in you travels, we recently had a report of 20 plus seen at Campbells Creek & last year of a pair near Rotunda Park, Newstead, also a few weeks ago Lynn saw one that had been a road kill near Guildford. If you see any please let us know as they are one of the birds we are researching & striving to save.
Regards Roger Sellwood. Parrot Conservation Australia Ltd.