August 2011

 In September an astonishing 101 species of birds were recorded in the catchment area of the Gazette.  This is 11 more than in August this year and 15 more than September 2010.  I have noticed a significant increase in the diversity on our property in the past few weeks and other observers have noticed things ‘picking up’, especially with some dry country birds arriving.  

Thanks to several observers in: the Molonglo Valley, Captains Flat Rd, Hoskinstown, Radcliffe and Widgiewa Road.   

There have been a number of notable sightings in the month.  A King Parrot was reported from the Hoskinstown Plain: this is the third month in a row that this species has been reported instead of the usually infrequent reports. (I regard this as a positive!)   

There has been another record of Barn Owl (which have irrupted into Canberra this year as the mouse plague declines in the West of the State).   It is likely that the increased sightings of Black-shouldered Kites are also due to this cause.  These sightings have included an unusually large group of 6 hunting around 2 properties overlooking the Hoskinstown Plain which by 29 September had risen to an extraordinary (I am beginning to run low on superlatives) 14 birds in a single tree.

It is also noteworthy that after a shortfall for several months waterbirds are returning 

Migrants are shown in italics below.  Note that most of the regularly reported migrant species have begun to return already although there are a few more to come.  16 species which have been seen to have commenced breeding (broadly defined) this month are underlined.  I’d welcome records of any breeding activities seen in the area as well as first arrivals of any migrants not recorded below.

1  Waterbirds:  Musk Duck; Black Swan;  Australian Shelduck; Australian Wood Duck; Pacific Black Duck; Hardhead; Australasian Grebe; Little Pied Cormorant; White‑necked Heron; White‑faced Heron;; Australian White Ibis;; Dusky Moorhen;  Eurasian Coot; Masked Lapwing;

2 Birds of Prey:  Black-shouldered Kite; Brown Goshawk; Wedge-tailed Eagle; Little Eagle; Nankeen Kestrel; Brown Falcon; Peregrine Falcon.

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

4 Kingfishers and other non-songbirds: Stubble Quail; Brown quail; Rock Dove; Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon; Tawny Frogmouth; Painted Button-quail; Horsfield's Bronze‑Cuckoo; Shining Bronze‑cuckoo; Pallid Cuckoo; Fan-tailed Cuckoo; Eastern Barn Owl; Laughing Kookaburra.

 5 Honeyeaters: Eastern Spinebill; Yellow-faced Honeyeater; White-eared Honeyeater; White‑plumed 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; Flame Robin; Eastern Yellow Robin; Welcome Swallow; Fairy Martin; Tree Martin

7 Thornbills, Finches and similar species:  Superb Fairy-wren; White-browed Scrubwren; 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; Olive‑backed Oriole; Dusky Woodswallow; Skylark; Australian Reed-warbler; 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