March 2011

In  March  2011 a good score of  88 species of birds were recorded in the catchment area of the Gazette.  This is 9 more than in February 2010 and an increase of 10 species on the year before that.   Only 3 species were recorded as breeding (and while the vocalising cuckoos may suggest that they too have love on their mind I think this is more hope than eexpectation).  Thanks to several observers in: Hoskinstown; the Molonglo Valley, Captains Flat Road, and Widgiewa Road.   

The calls of Stubble Quail continue to be heard, but far less prominently, around the area.  Unusual sightings this month have included Painted Button-quail at 2 sites, Little Corella on Widgiewa Rd and at least 2 Eastern Yellow Robins at Whiskers Creek Rd.  The regular events of Autumn/Winter have been noted: flocks of finches feeding on grass-seeds, mixed flock of several small bird species, and  flocks of honeyeaters beginning to migrate.

Migrants are shown in italics below and species for which breeding (broadly defined) has been observed this month are underlined.

1  Waterbirds:  Musk Duck; Black Swan;  Australian Wood Duck; Grey Teal; Pacific Black Duck; Australasian Grebe; Little Pied Cormorant; White-faced Heron; Australian White Ibis; Eurasian Coot; Masked Lapwing.

2 Birds of Prey:  Brown Goshawk; Wedge-tailed Eagle; Little Eagle; Nankeen Kestrel; Brown Falcon; Australian Hobby.

3 Parrots and Relatives:  Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo; Gang‑gang Cockatoo; Galah;  Little Corella; Sulphur-crested Cockatoo; Crimson Rosella; Eastern Rosella.

4 Kingfishers and other non-songbirds: Stubble Quail; Brown quail; Rock Dove; Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon; Tawny Frogmouth; Australian Owlet-nightjar; Painted Button-quail; Horsfield's Bronze‑Cuckoo; Fan-tailed Cuckoo; Laughing Kookaburra;

 5 Honeyeaters: Eastern Spinebill; Yellow-faced Honeyeater; White-eared Honeyeater; Noisy Miner; Red Wattlebird, Brown‑headed Honeyeater; White-naped Honeyeater; Noisy Friarbird

6 Flycatchers and similar species: Golden Whistler; Rufous Whistler; Grey Shrike-thrush; Grey Fantail; Willie Wagtail; Leaden Flycatcher; Magpie-lark; Scarlet Robin; Eastern Yellow Robin; Welcome Swallow; Tree Martin

7 Thornbills, Finches and similar species:  Superb Fairy-wren; White-browed Scrubwren; Speckled warbler; Weebill; 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; Diamond Firetail; House Sparrow; European Goldfinch.

8 Other, smaller birds:  White-throated Treecreeper; Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike; Dusky Woodswallow; Common Blackbird; Common Myna; Common Starling; Mistletoebird; Australasian  Pipit;

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

Waterbirds

The list for the area includes 27 species in this group, which includes ducks, herons, waders and the rails.  .    

7 species are very common and seen nearly every month.  These are Australian Wood Duck, Grey Teal,  Pacific Black Duck, Australasian Grebe, Little Pied Cormorant, White-faced Heron and Masked Lapwing.

Only the Eurasian Coot could be considered to be moderately common being seen in about half the months for which records have been kept. 

Most of the other species have been recorded in a small number of months, in part reflecting whether specific dams or waterways have been checked in the month.  Herons and their relatives have been very had to find in the last year as they have returned to the flooded wetlands in the major river systems.