July 2011

In  July 2011 78 species of birds were recorded in the catchment area of the Gazette.  This is 13 more than in June this year and one more than July 2010.  Thanks to several observers in: the  Molonglo Valley, Hoskinstown, Radcliffe and Widgiewa Road.   

There have been a number of notable sightings in the month.  4 female King Parrots were sighted in Radcliffe – the first at that site.  They are very rarely reported in the area generally.  Scarlet Robins have appeared again in my site and a property overlooking the Hoskinstown Plain.  I suspect they are moving through, as normal  in preparation for Spring in the higher country.  A huge flock of at least 50 immature/female Satin Bowerbirds was seen in the Plain on 31 July following a similar earlier sighting in Hoskinstown: extraordinary records.

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; Purple Swamphen; Eurasian Coot; Masked Lapwing

2 Birds of Prey:  Black-shouldered Kite; Wedge-tailed Eagle; Little Eagle; Nankeen Kestrel; Brown Falcon; Australian Hobby

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

4 Kingfishers and other non-songbirds: Brown quail; Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon; Tawny Frogmouth; Fan-tailed Cuckoo; Laughing Kookaburra;

5 Honeyeaters: Eastern Spinebill; White-eared Honeyeater; Noisy Miner; Red Wattlebird; Brown‑headed Honeyeater

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

7 Thornbills, Finches and similar species:  Superb Fairy-wren; White-browed Scrubwren; Speckled warbler; Weebill; Striated Thornbill; Yellow‑rumped Thornbill; Buff‑rumped Thornbill; Brown Thornbill; Southern Whiteface; 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; 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

.Breeding Records

There have been very few breeding records in recent months (as expected).  However August is the month when some of the locally resident species begin their breeding activity.  These initial stages will typically comprise observations of

• Breeding Displays: usually males strutting their stuff to impress females, which can be impressive flights by raptors or intricate ‘song and dance routines’ by the smaller birds; or
• Nest Building: in many cases this will be indicated by seeing the birds flying about with beaks full of nesting material.

I’d welcome any observations of such activities (or more flagrant breeding activity).