June 2012

This is a full report to supplement the summary to be published in the Gazette.

The cold weather expected in Winter continued in June.  The number of species observed has dropped to 78 in June 2012.  That is three less than the number of species reported in May 2012 but 13 more than June 2011 (when observers were away)!  The following image shows the number of species reported in the last year (ie July 2011 to June2012) and the average of all available months.

The major highlights of  the month were adding 4 new species to the list.  Three of these (Swamp Harrier, Hoary-headed Grebe and Golden-headed Cisticola) came from a marsh off Plains Rd and the fourth, Wonga Pigeon, from a garden in Primrose Valley.  

 Although strictly speaking the observation was made  on July 1, I am including the 56 Australian Shelduck seen in a lucerne paddock on Plains Rd here, since it alerts folk to look out for these magnificent fowl around the area.

The only breeding record of the month was again the Black Swans.  They hatched 5 cygnets but when I visited the site a few days later only 4 were left.

Migrant birds are shown in italics below and the breeding species in red. Thanks to several observers in the Molonglo Valley,  Hoskinstown, Primrose Valley and Widgiewa Rd.

1  Waterbirds:  Black Swan;  Australian Shelduck; Australian Wood Duck; Australian Shoveler; Grey Teal; Pacific Black Duck; Hardhead; Australasian Grebe; Hoary-headed Grebe; Little Pied Cormorant; White‑faced Heron;  EurasianCoot;  Masked Lapwing; 

2 Birds of Prey:  Black-shouldered Kite; Brown Goshawk; Spotted Harrier; Swamp Harrier; 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; Crimson Rosella; Eastern Rosella; Red-rumped parrot

4 Kingfishers and other non-songbirds:  Stubble Quail; Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon; Wonga Pigeon; Tawny Frogmouth; Laughing Kookaburra.

5 Honeyeaters: Eastern Spinebill; White-eared Honeyeater; White‑plumed Honeyeater; Noisy Miner; Red Wattlebird; New Holland Honeyeater; Brown‑headed Honeyeater; White-naped Honeyeater.

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

7 Thornbills, Finches and similar species:  Superb Fairy-wren; White-browed Scrubwren; Weebill; 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; European Goldfinch

8 Other, smaller birds:  White-throated Treecreeper; Varied Sitella; Golden-headed Cisticola;Common Blackbird; Common Starling;  Australasian  Pipit;

9  Other, larger birds: Grey Butcherbird; Australian Magpie; Pied Currawong; Grey Currawong; Australian Raven; Little Raven; White-winged Chough

The poetry of Gang-gangs

At this time of year the hawthorn bushes along roads in the Hoskinstown Plain are visited by Gang-gang Cockatoos, sometimes in large flocks.  This is described in a poem (thanks for the link Kim) by David Campbell. 

 Campbell lived in this area so he was writing from experience.  One of our victories at the Lifeline Book Fair was buying a copy of a poetry journal (for 50c) and finding it inscribed in handwriting "From the library of David Campbell".

While composing this post a flock of 6 adult Crimson Rosellas visited the pistachio tree outside my study window and since they are:

• not too distantly, related to Cockatoos;
• are very pretty birds;
• posed nicely

here are some images of some of them.  If they are not too clear I apologise but it was -4C outside and my fingers weren't working too well.