April 2010

In  April 79 species of birds were recorded in the catchment area of the Gazette.  Thanks to several observers in: Hoskinstown; the Molonglo Valley, Widgiewa Road,   A Scaly-breasted Lorikeet was photographed in the Hoskinstown Plain!!  In addition I have heard of a Spotted Harrier being seen near the intersection of Captains Flat Rd and Woolcara lane in January this year: one to keep an eye out for!!  Bad news was a flight of 5 Common Myna in Douglas Close.

Migrants are shown in italics below and species for which breeding has been observed this month (only Australian Wood Duck) is underlined.

1  Waterbirds:  Black Swan;  Australian Shelduck; Australian Wood Duck; Grey Teal; Pacific Black Duck; Australasian Grebe; Darter; Little Pied Cormorant; White-faced Heron; Masked Lapwing

2 Birds of Prey:  Wedge-tailed Eagle; Nankeen Kestrel; Brown Falcon.

3 Parrots and Relatives:  Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo; Gang-gang Cockatoo; Galah; Sulphur‑crested Cockatoo; Scaly-breasted Cockatoo;Australian King-parrot; Crimson Rosella; Eastern Rosella

4 Kingfishers and other non-songbirds: Rock Dove; Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon; Tawny Frogmouth; Australian Owlet-nightjar; Barn Owl; Laughing Kookaburra;

 5 Honeyeaters: Eastern Spinebill; Yellow-faced Honeyeater; White-eared Honeyeater;; Fuscous Honeyeater; Noisy Miner; Red Wattlebird; New Holland Honeyeater; Brown‑headed Honeyeater; White-naped Honeyeater.

6 Flycatchers and similar species: Golden Whistler; Rufous Whistler; Grey Shrike-thrush; Grey Fantail; Willie Wagtail; Magpie-lark; Scarlet Robin; Welcome Swallow.

7 Thornbills, Finches and similar species:  Superb Fairy-wren; White-browed Scrubwren; Weebill; Western Gerygone; White-throated Gerygone; Striated Thornbill; Yellow-rumped Thornbill; Buff‑rumped Thornbill; Brown Thornbill; Southern Whiteface; Spotted Pardalote; Striated Pardalote; Silvereye; Double-barred Finch; Red-browed Finch; House Sparrow; European Goldfinch

8 Other, smaller birds:  White-throated Treecreeper; Spotted  Quail-thrush; Varied Sitella; Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike; Olive-backed Oriole; Dusky Woodswallow; Common Myna; Common Starling; Mistletoebird;

9  Other, larger birds: Satin Bowerbird; Grey Butcherbird; Australian Magpie; Pied Currawong; Grey Currawong; Australian Raven; Little Raven; White-winged Chough

Night Birds

This term refers to Owls, Frogmouths and Nightjars which are primarily active at night.  In the Gazette area 8 species are known to occur although only 4 have been reported since we moved to the area.  They are generally recorded through being heard rather than seen and I’d welcome reports of any of the species.

Southern Boobook (17 records): A small and common species.  Small with a familiar call – ‘boo‑book’ or ‘more-pork’ commonly heard in Spring.

Barn Owl (2): Recently recorded at Hoskinstown and Carwoola.  Voice is a thin reedy screech ‘sk-air’ or ‘skee-air’.

Tawny Frogmouth(20):  Nests in our yard!  Camouflaged in daytime, but roosts in the open. Typical call is a repeated ‘oom oom oom’ faster and higher than a Bronzewing.

Australian Owlet-nightjar(7):  Small bird often seen sitting in/at entrance to roost hollow. A high pitched grating call ‘chirr-chirr-chirr’.

Barking Owl; Like a larger Boobook.  Has been heard in the area before recording started. Distinctive call is the ‘murdered-woman’s scream’ in breeding season.

Powerful Owl: Huge owl.  Lives in mountainous forests of Tallaganda – and perhaps Yanunbeenan?  Call is a slow and low ‘whoo-hoo’ with second note lower.  I have - on one occasion - heard one at our property.

The other two ‘possible’ species – Masked Owl and White throated Nightjar – are very uncommon in the Tablelands area.  The nightjar is a summer migrant.