Of course, the Bellingen bats could be anywhere (the population is a contagious one along the eastern sea board) and everywhere (they will not necessarily work as a group).

I have noticed Grey-headed Flying-foxes feeding on Eucalyptus propinqua Small-fruited Grey Gum out the front of my house this spring, when they have not done so in any of the other 8 springs I have lived here (Bensville, Central Coast). I usually only see them feeding on the E. robusta Swamp Mahogany in my street in April-May.

The E. propinqua has flowered reliably, so they are not responding to an unusual source of food.

Hi Brian, can't say I've seen any increase in the main camps in the Hastings that are nearby (Kendall - maternity camp usually >10 000 bats over Summer; Kooloonbung Ck NR - <1000-several thousand). Tallowwood is currently in heavy flower in this area, and unseasonably, a number of White Stringybark. I think this very hot August is going to throw things out this season.

Something strange has happened in Bellingen on the Mid North Coast - for only the second time this century, the Flying-fox camp is empty. 

Yet there are still moderately good supplies of nectar around (certainly better than this time last year), with Banksias, Forest Red Gums and some coastal Blackbutts flowering.

For the Flying-foxes to have left, there must be intense flowering somewhere else, probably within a night's flight (around 250km).  Other times the Bellingen camp has emptied, it has been in response to Forest Red Gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis) blossoming near Bungawalbin, or to White Box (Eucalyptus albens) blossoming on the north-western slopes.

Does anyone know where the Bellingen Flying-foxes might be?

Brian