December 2007

In December 2007 I have recorded 68 species of birds in a 3 hectare area around our house on Whiskers Creek Road (or, for those in brackets, other parts of the area).  An * in the list below shows those species which I have noticed undertaking breeding activities, while a ^# indicates a species reported to me by other observers.

It has been notable that this year I have recorded 6 species of cuckoo along Whiskers Creek Road.   Also worthy of note has been the reduced number of ‘obvious’ small birds in our garden as the young Pied Currawongs have fledged.  Hopefully sightings will return to their previous levels in the near future.

Water birds:  White-faced heron, Australian wood duck, Pacific black duck  (Little pied cormorant, Australian White ibis, Masked Lapwing, Australasian grebe*,  Grey teal)

Birds of prey: Collared sparrowhawk;  

Parrots and relatives: Sulphur-crested cockatoo, Galah*, Crimson rosella*, Eastern rosella, Yellow-tailed black-cockatoo (Gang-gang cockatoo, Red-rumped parrot).

Kingfishers and other non-songbirds:, Pallid Cuckoo; Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo; Common Bronzewing, Laughing kookaburra:  Southern Boobook (Brush cuckoo, Crested pigeon,  Common Koel)

Honeyeaters:, White-eared honeyeater, Yellow faced honeyeater, Red wattlebird, Noisy friarbird, Eastern spinebill (Noisy Miner, Brown-headed honeyeater ).

Flycatchers and similar species: Rufous whistler, Grey shrike-thrush, Welcome swallow, Willie wagtail, Grey fantail, Tree martin, Magpie-lark, (Dusky woodswallow,  Leaden flycatcher, Scarlet robin, White-winged Triller⁾)

Other, smaller, birds: Western gerygone, White-browed scrubwren, Weebill, Striated thornbill, Yellow-rumped thornbill, Buff-rumped thornbill , Superb fairy-wren, White-throated treecreeper, Silvereye, Spotted pardalote, Striated pardalote, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Olive-backed Oriole, Red-browed finch* (Common starling, House sparrow, Richard’s Pipit, White-throated Gerygone)

Other, larger, birds: Pied Currawong*, Grey currawong, Grey butcherbird, Australian Magpie*, Australian Raven, Little Raven (White-winged chough, Satin bowerbird^#)

Bird of the Month

This is based upon material in the very good book “bringing birds back” published by Greening Australia.  Comments in brackets are by this author. 

Willie Wagtail: Rhipidura leucophrys (When visiting this area some years ago Bill Oddie, of TV Goodies fame, found it hard to believe that a bird was called Willie Wagtail!)

Appearance:  Black with white underparts below the breast and white eyebrow.  Long black fanned tail wagged from side to side.

Voice: Cheerful song ‘sweet pretty creature’; also scolding rattle ‘chicka-chicka-chicka’.

Habits: Familiar farm bird, particularly near dams.  Bold and active, perches on fences and low branches, launches into twisting flight after insects, takes them from foliage or chases them along the ground.

Food:  Insects (they have a big job in front of them this year!)

Nest:  Neat cup; of fine grass and bark covered on the outside with spider web until grey and smooth, lined with hair, wool and feathers; on a small horizontal branch from 1-15 metres high

Occurrence in Revegetation:  Found in 60% of sites from small narrow windbreaks to the largest sites, from 3 years onwards.  Seen perched at the edge or chasing insects out over the paddock returning to shelter when disturbed.

(Garden Bird Survey: This Survey, run in the gardens of members of the Canberra Ornithologists Group, records this bird as fairly common, being observed in 60 – 70% of sites each year.)

November 2007

In November 2007 I have recorded 69 species of birds in a 3 hectare area around our house on Whiskers Creek Road (or, for those in brackets, other parts of the area).  An * in the list below shows those species which I have noticed undertaking breeding activities, while a ^# indicates a species reported to me by other observers.

Water birds:  White-faced heron, Australian wood duck, (Little pied cormorant, (Masked Lapwing, Australasian grebe*, Pacific black duck, Grey teal, Nankeen Night-heron^#)

Birds of prey: Little Eagle, (Brown goshawk, Nankeen kestrel)

Parrots and relatives:, Sulphur-crested cockatoo, Galah*, Crimson rosella*, Eastern rosella, Gang-gang cockatoo, Yellow-tailed black-cockatoo.

Kingfishers and other non-songbirds:, Pallid Cuckoo*, Sacred kingfisher, Crested pigeon, Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo, (Laughing kookaburra , Southern Boobook, Australian Owlet-nightjar, Dollarbird)

Honeyeaters:, White-eared honeyeater, Yellow faced honeyeater, Red wattlebird, Noisy friarbird, (Noisy Miner, Brown-headed honeyeater ).

Flycatchers and similar species: Rufous whistler, Welcome swallow*, Willie wagtail, Grey fantail (Tree martin, Dusky woodswallow,  Scarlet robin, Magpie-lark, White-winged Triller, Rufous songlark⁾

Other, smaller, birds: Western gerygone, ,White-browed scrubwren, Weebill, Striated thornbill, Yellow-rumped thornbill, Buff-rumped thornbill* , Superb fairy-wren, White-throated treecreeper, Silvereye, Spotted pardalote, Striated pardalote*, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Olive-backed Oriole, Red-browed finch (Common starling, House sparrow*, Richard’s Pipit, White-throated Gerygone, Speckled warbler,  European goldfinch)

Other, larger, birds: Pied Currawong*, Grey currawong, Grey butcherbird, Australian Magpie*, Australian Raven, Little Raven (White-winged chough, Satin bowerbird^#)

Bird of the Month

This is based upon material in the very good book “bringing birds back” published by Greening Australia.  Comments in brackets are by this author.

Brown thornbill: Acanthiza pusilla

Appearance: One of a group of small grey‑brown birds, this one distinguished by dark streakings on the chest, dark brown eyes and tawny brown rump. (Perhaps the archetype of “small brown bird” this author finds that the ‘plainer’ brown crown is also helpful.)

Voice:.Wide range of calls from a loud deep song to fussy squeaks and a harsh scolding.  Also an excellent mimic.

Habits: Common in shrubs and understorey.  Singly pairs or small groups often with other small insectivorous birds.  Constantly active, feeding in shrubbery, hanging from foliage, fluttering after insects.  Bold and curious, often attracted to a disturbance , scolding loudly ar intruders.

Food:  Insects and other invertebrates

Nest:  Untidy dome with side entrance; of grass, shreds of bark green moss bound with spider web, usually near the ground.

Occurrence in Revegetation:  Found in 66% of sites from 3 years of age onwards including small and narrow sites, isolated sites and large sites. 

(Garden Bird Survey: This Survey, run in the gardens of members of the Canberra Ornithologists Group, shows that the bird has increased steadily in numbers from the start of the Survey in 1980 and continues to do so.  Perhaps this reflects the increasing scrubbiness of gardens?.)

October 2007

In October 2007 I have recorded 67 species of birds in a 3 hectare area around our house on Whiskers Creek Road (or, for those in brackets, other parts of the area).  An asterisk in the list below shows those species which I have noticed undertaking breeding activities.

Water birds:  White-faced heron, Australian wood duck, ( Little pied cormorant, Masked Lapwing, Australasian grebe, Pacific black duck, Grey teal)

Birds of prey Brown goshawk,( Nankeen kestrel)

Parrots and relatives:, Sulphur-crested cockatoo, Galah, Crimson rosella, Eastern rosella, Gang-gang cockatoo, Yellow-tailed black-cockatoo.

Kingfishers and other non-songbirds: Laughing kookaburra, Pallid Cuckoo, Sacred kingfisher, Crested pigeon, Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo, Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Southern boobook, (Australian Owlet-nightjar)

Honeyeaters:, White-eared honeyeater, Yellow faced honeyeater, Red wattlebird, Noisy friarbird, (Noisy Miner ).

Flycatchers and similar species: Golden whistler, Rufous whistler, Welcome swallow, Tree martin, Dusky woodswallow, Willie wagtail, Grey fantail (Scarlet robin, , Magpie-lark,⁾

Other, smaller, birds: Western gerygone, ,White-browed scrubwren, Weebill, Striated thornbill, Yellow-rumped thornbill, Buff-rumped thornbill, , Superb fairy-wren, White-throated treecreeper, Silvereye, Spotted pardalote, Striated pardalote*, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Olive-backed Oriole, Red-browed finch, European goldfinch (Common starling, House sparrow, Richard’s Pipit⁾ Mistletoebird, White-throated Gerygone, Speckled warbler,)

Other, larger, birds: Pied Currawong*, Grey currawong, Grey butcherbird, Australian Magpie*, Australian Raven, Little Raven (White-winged chough)

I have been particularly impressed by the number of cuckoos seen around the area, especially seeing 4 species from our veranda!  They are readily distinguished by song: Pallid cuckoo, a plaintive repeated whistle, Fan-tailed cuckoo, a repetitive churr; Horsfield’s bronze-cuckoo, a descending whistle; Shining bronze-cuckoo, an ascending whistle.

Bird of the Month

This is based upon material in the very good book “bringing birds back” published by Greening Australia.  Comments in brackets are by this author.

Grey fantail: Rhipidura fuliginosa

Appearance: Grey with a white throat, black bib and buff underparts.  Long dark grey tail with white edges held cocked and fanned (note the name!) or opened and closed, switched this way and that.  (The juvenile is much browner.)

Voice: A sweet squeaky tinkling song; also often-repeated single note ‘check’.

Habits: Singly or in pairs.  Energetic and conspicuous, performing constant aerobatics after flying insects.  (The fluttery flight of the bird can be very distracting.)

Food:  Mostly insects. 

Nest:  Small neat cup with a tail; of grasses and fine strips of bark bound with spider web on a thin branch or vertical fork in shrubs or young trees.

Occurrence in Revegetation:  recorded in 69% of revegetation sites at least once.  A spring/summer migrant (note its food!), with most birds recorded from late August to April although some birds can be found overwintering in the region (mainly at lower elevations than Stoney Creek/Carwoola).

(Garden Bird Survey: This Survey, run in the gardens of members of the Canberra Ornithologists Group, shows that the bird increased in numbers from the start of the Survey in 1980 until the late 1990s, since when it has declined in numbers.)

September 2007

During the month of September 2007 I have recorded an excellent haul of 69 species of birds in a 3 hectare area around our house on Whiskers Creek Road (or, for those in brackets, other parts of the area).  I have annotated the birds only seen in Yanunbeenan Conservation Park, during a Canberra Ornithologists Group field trip, with a Y.  A Southern boobook posed in the open very nicely for those on the Wildflower Walk in Cuumbeun Nature Reserve.

The month has been notable for warmer weather and the return of most of the migrant species.   Again, some birds are getting down to breeding: I have put an asterisk in the list below for those species which I have noticed undertaking such activities.

Water birds:  White-faced heron, Australian wood duck*, Little pied cormorant, Masked Lapwing, (Australasian grebe, Pacific black duck, Grey teal)

Birds of prey: Collared sparrowhawk (Brown goshawk, Nankeen kestrel, Black‑shouldered kite)

Parrots and relatives:, Sulphur-crested cockatoo, Galah*, Crimson rosella, Eastern rosella, Gang-gang cockatoo (Yellow-tailed black-cockatoo).

Kingfishers and other non-songbirds: Laughing kookaburra, Pallid Cuckoo*, (Sacred kingfisher, Crested pigeon (Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo, Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Southern boobook, Spotted Quail-thrush^(Y))

Honeyeaters: Eastern spinebill, White-eared honeyeater, Yellow faced honeyeater, Red wattlebird, Noisy Miner (Brown-headed honeyeater).

Flycatchers and similar species: Golden whistler, Magpie-lark Welcome swallow, Willie wagtail, Grey fantail (Scarlet robin, White-winged Triller, Eastern Yellow Robin^(Y)

Other, smaller, birds: Western gerygone, White-throated Gerygone, European goldfinch, White-browed scrubwren, Weebill, Striated thornbill, Yellow-rumped thornbill, Buff-rumped thornbill, Brown thornbill, Superb fairy-wren, White-throated treecreeper, Silvereye, Spotted pardalote, Striated pardalote, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Olive-backed Oriole, (Common starling, Skylark, House sparrow, Richard’s Pipit, Southern Whiteface^(Y))

Other, larger, birds: Pied Currawong*, Grey currawong, Grey butcherbird, Australian Magpie*, Australian Raven, Little Raven (White-winged chough)

Bird of the Month

This is based upon material in the very good book “bringing birds back” published by Greening Australia.  Comments in brackets are by this author.

This month’s bird is the first of the parrots to be covered.  Many authors regard Australia’s parrots as the most colourful in the world, and I have seen European visitors stop in their tracks when first meeting this species.

Crimson Rosella: Platycercus elegans

Appearance: Bright and conspicuous.  Adults brilliant crimson and blue, immature birds olive green with patches of blue and red.

Voice: Double note bell-like call, harsher and more prolonged when in flight.

Habits: Pairs or flocks.  Feeds in trees or on the ground at the edge of clearings.  Flight fast and swooping.    

Food: Plant matter including seeds, gumnuts and leaves. 

Nest:  Nests in hollows in mature or dead eucalypts, 5-20 metres above ground.  

Occurrence in Revegation:  Recorded at least once in 85% of sites.  Found in revegetation from 3 years onwards (possibly because attracted by the seeds).  Able to utilise the smallest and narrowest of sites as well as the largest.  In summer and autumn takes advantage of the abundance of wattle seed produced in many direct seeded sites.

August 2007

During the month of August 2007 I have recorded 57 species of birds in a 3 hectare area around our house on Whiskers Creek Road (or, for those in brackets, other parts of the area). 

The month has been notable for warmer weather and the return of the migrant species.   As I noted last month some birds are getting down to breeding: I have put an asterisk in the list below for those species which I have noticed undertaking such activities (mainly nest building thus far).

Water birds:  White-faced heron, Australian wood duck, Pacific black duck, (Little pied cormorant  Masked Lapwing, Australasian grebe, Purple Swamphen, Musk duck)

Birds of prey: Wedge-tailed eagle, Brown goshawk, (Nankeen kestrel, Black‑shouldered kite)

Parrots and relatives:, Sulphur-crested cockatoo, Galah*, Crimson rosella, Eastern rosella, Gang-gang cockatoo (Yellow-tailed black-cockatoo).

Kingfishers and other non-songbirds: Laughing kookaburra, Common bronzewing, Pallid Cuckoo*, Crested pigeon (Horsfield’s bronze-cuckoo, Fan-tailed Cuckoo)

Honeyeaters: Eastern spinebill, White-eared honeyeater, Yellow faced honeyeater, Red wattlebird, Noisy Miner.

Flycatchers and similar species: Golden whistler, Magpie-lark Welcome swallow (Willie wagtail, Flame robin,)

Other, smaller, birds: White-browed scrubwren, Weebill, Striated thornbill, Yellow-rumped thornbill, Buff-rumped thornbill, Superb fairy-wren, White-throated treecreeper, Silvereye, Spotted pardalote, Varied sittella, (Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Olive-backed Oriole, Common starling, , Skylark, , House sparrow, Richard’s Pipit)

Other, larger, birds: Pied Currawong*, Grey currawong, Grey butcherbird, Australian Magpie*, Australian Raven, Little Raven (White-winged chough)

Bird of the Month

This is based upon material in the very good book “bringing birds back” published by Greening Australia.  Comments in brackets are by this author.

(This month sees the first appearance in this column of a member of the thornbill family: often regarded as the typical ‘small brown birds’.   Clues to identifying the various members of the family are given by the details of appearance and the habits (especially the level at which they feed).)

Yellow-rumped thornbill: Acanthiza chrysorrhoa

Appearance: Small but distinctive with butter-yellow rump (very obvious when flying away), black crown with delicate white spots and white eyebrow.

Voice: Bright tinkling song.

Habits:  In small flocks, sometimes with other small insectivores including other thornbill species.  Feeds mostly on the ground (more so than other thornbills), bobbing and jerking as it hops along.  Frequently seen feeding in open paddocks, flying for shelter when disturbed.

Food: Mostly insects and small invertebrates.

Nest:  Domed with a hidden side-entrance.  And with an open cup like ‘decoy nest on top; made of grass bound with spider web.  In shrubbery or low foliage of trees

Occurrence in Revegation:  Found at least once in 91% of revegetation sites, of all shapes and sizes from 3 years of age onwards.  

July 2007

During the month of July 2007 I have recorded 54 species of birds in a 3 hectare area around our house on Whiskers Creek Road (or, for those in brackets, other parts of the area). 

Water birds:  Little pied cormorant, Australian wood duck, (Pacific black duck, Masked Lapwing White-faced heron, Australasian grebe, Purple Swamphen, Australasian Shelduck, Black-fronted plover,)

Birds of prey: (Wedge-tailed eagle, Nankeen kestrel, Collared sparrowhawk, Black‑shouldered kite)

Parrots and relatives: Yellow-tailed black-cockatoo, Sulphur-crested cockatoo, Galah, Crimson rosella, Eastern rosella, Gang-gang cockatoo (Red-rumped parrot).

Kingfishers and other non-songbirds: Laughing kookaburra, (Common bronzewing, Crested pigeon)

Honeyeaters: Eastern spinebill, White-eared honeyeater, Yellow-tufted honeyeater, Red wattlebird, Noisy Miner

Flycatchers and similar species: Scarlet robin, Golden whistler (Welcome swallow, Willie wagtail, Flame robin, Magpie-lark)

Other, smaller, birds: Weebill, Striated thornbill, Yellow-rumped thornbill, Superb fairy-wren, White-throated treecreeper, Silvereye, Spotted pardalote, Varied sittella, (Common starling,  Buff-rumped thornbill, Skylark, European goldfinch, House sparrow)

Other, larger, birds: White-winged chough, Pied Currawong, Grey currawong, Grey butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Australian Raven, Little Raven

Following the heavy rain in mid-late June water birds, including up to 20 Australian shelduck, have remained on Hoskintown Plain.   The flock of up to 150 Australian magpies reported last month at Plains Road and Briars-Sharrow Road was still around.

There have been many reports of unusual honeyeaters from Canberra recently and the appearance of a yellow-tufted honeyeater at our house suggests they may be spreading here.  Some species of birds seem to be getting down to nest building (and other preparations for breeding).  This seems to be a little earlier than usual.

Bird of the Month

This is based upon material in the very good book “bringing birds back” published by Greening Australia.  Comments in brackets are by this author.

Superb fairy-wren: Malurus cyaneus

Appearance: Small bold bird with long tail held erect.  Breeding males metallic blue and navy (unmistakeable in this area).  Females and immatures brown: non-breeding males also brown but with blue tail.

Voice: Often detected first by its brisk “prip-prip call; also a merry trilling song.

Habits: Family groups (often large – up to 16 birds at our patch, with non-breeding males ‘helping out’ the females).  Found wherever there is some dense cover.  Often perches on fences and feeds in the open outside revegetation plantings, fleeing for cover. 

Food: Mostly insects and other invertebrates, occasionally seeds and other plant matter.

Nest:  Domed, made of fine twigs, grass and moss, bound with spider web.  Usually in grass tussocks or dense shrubbery close to the ground.  (Because of the position of the nest they are rarely seen.  Most breeding records are of dependent young.)

Occurrence in Revegation:  The most commonly occurring bird in the Greening Australia survey of revegetation sites, recorded at 91% of sites.  (This is a higher frequency than recorded in the COG Garden Bird Survey, probably reflecting the bird’s preference for habitat with some dense cover.)