In May 80 species of birds were recorded in the
catchment area of the Gazette. This is 5
more than in April this year and the same as May 2010. Thanks to several observers in: the Molonglo
Valley, Hoskinstown and Widgiewa Road.
Only
1 species – Nankeen Kestrel - was
recorded as breeding. The birds were
seen involved in great affection, which in this species can occur some months
prior to eggs being laid. Juvenile
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos continue to be heard begging as they fly over, or
sit in pine trees, but I regard this as evidence of indolence rather than
breeding in the area.
Flocks
of finches feeding on grass-seeds, and sometimes mixed in flocks of several
small bird species have been frequently noted.
On a couple of evenings our windows have been visited by hordes of
moths, providing food for 'our' Tawny Frogmouths.
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; Eurasian Coot; Black‑fronted Dotterel; Masked Lapwing;
2 Birds of Prey: Brown Goshawk; Wedge-tailed Eagle; Nankeen
Kestrel; Brown Falcon.
3 Parrots and
Relatives: Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo; Gang‑gang
Cockatoo; Galah; Sulphur‑crested Cockatoo;
Crimson Rosella; Eastern Rosella; Red-rumped parrot.
4 Kingfishers
and other non-songbirds: Stubble Quail; Brown quail;
Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon; Tawny Frogmouth; Fan-tailed Cuckoo; Laughing Kookaburra.
5 Honeyeaters: Eastern
Spinebill; Yellow-faced Honeyeater; White-eared
Honeyeater; Fuscous Honeyeater; White‑plumed Honeyeater; Noisy Miner;
Red Wattlebird; New Holland
Honeyeater; Brown‑headed Honeyeater.
6 Flycatchers
and similar species: Golden
Whistler; Rufous Whistler; Grey Shrike-thrush; Grey Fantail; Willie Wagtail;
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; Western Gerygone; White-throated
Gerygone; Striated Thornbill; Yellow‑rumped Thornbill; Buff‑rumped Thornbill;
Brown Thornbill; Spotted Pardalote; Striated Pardalote; Silvereye; Double‑barred
Finch; Red‑browed Finch; Diamond Firetail; House Sparrow.
8 Other, smaller
birds: White-throated Treecreeper; Varied Sitella;
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike; Dusky Woodswallow;
Skylark; Common Blackbird; 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
Nightbirds
There has been a bit of action for this group in the recent past which presumably explains why I have given the nightbird group a second run!
This group includes the birds that are usually active by night, roosting
quietly by day. Not surprisingly they
are not commonly reported (anywhere).
Most reports are of the calls of the bird, which carry long distances. A hint for spotting them is to watch for the
mobbing activities of small birds, giving a hint to the whereabouts of a
roosting owl or frogmouth.
The exception to ‘unusual reporting’ in this area is the Tawny
Frogmouth. That reflects the presence of
a breeding pair in our garden and I have recorded where they roost most
days. (They have 15 roost trees, of
which about 5 are commonly used.)
The other more commonly reported species Southern Boobook, has the well
known ‘more-pork’ call, frequently heard in September- October. On two occasions I have found this species
hiding in dense foliage in Cummbeun Nature Reserve.
Australian Owlet-nightjars have been reported in 10 months, typically
sighting in the mouth of the tree hollows in which they live.
4 species of Owl have been reported in the area. Eastern Barn Owl has been reported 3 times
while Powerful Owl has been reported once.
Barking Owl has only been reported once in the 4+ years I have been
recording the birds but several longer-term residents have reported
occasionally hearing the ‘murdered woman scream” of the bird in earlier
years.
