October 2011

 In October a very good  99  species of birds were recorded in the catchment area of the Gazette.  This is 2 less than the remarkable total in September this year and 2 more than October 2010.  Several observers have noted a high level of diversity.

Thanks to several observers in: the Molonglo Valley, Captains Flat Rd, Hoskinstown, Radcliffe and Widgiewa Road.    There have been two records of dead  Barn Owls – most likely hit by vehicles – on Plains Rd (as noted last month this species irrupted into Canberra this year as the mouse plague declines in the West of the State).   At least 3 (live) Barn Owls have been present on Plains Rd in mid November.

Similarly, Black-shouldered Kites have continued to be sighted by a number of observers with the flock at the head of the Hoskinstown Plain reaching 16 birds towards the end of the month.  There are continued observations of up to 10 Brown Falcons and 4 or more Nankeen Kestrels, in a small area which is also likely to be due to feasting on mice.  

A Cattle Egret was also seen in the area, only the second seen on that property in the last 10 years (and the first reported since I started doing these reports).

Migrants are shown in italics below.  Note that most of the regularly reported migrant species have begun to return already.  While there are a few more to come to Carwoola, they have been reported in Canberra.  21 species which have recorded 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:  Black Swan;  Australian Shelduck; Australian Wood Duck; Grey Teal; Pacific Black Duck; Australasian Grebe; Little Black Cormorant; Little Pied Cormorant; White‑necked Heron; Cattle Egret; White‑faced Heron; Dusky Moorhen;  Eurasian Coot; Masked Lapwing; Latham’s Snipe,

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

3 Parrots and Relatives:  Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo; Galah;  Sulphur‑crested Cockatoo; 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; Shining Bronze‑cuckoo; Pallid Cuckoo; Fan‑tailed Cuckoo; Southern Boobook; Eastern Barn Owl; Laughing Kookaburra;

5 Honeyeaters: Eastern Spinebill; Yellow-faced Honeyeater; White-eared Honeyeater; Noisy Miner; Red Wattlebird; New Holland Honeyeater; Brown‑headed 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; Hooded Robin; Eastern Yellow Robin; Welcome Swallow; Fairy Martin; 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; 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