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.
