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.
