July 2012

In July the weather continued cold but a very healthy 87 species were recorded in the study area.  This is 9 more than in July 2011 and 8 more than in June 2012.  As shown in this chart current observations continue above long term average but with a similar pattern.

A good part of the growth between June and July is the range of waterbirds and raptors being seen on the Hoskinstown Plain,  A description of one raptor event is included in this post.  An observer in Widgiewa Rd has reported a number of sightings of interest at his site including White-plumed Honeyeater, Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo (an early return of this migrant), Collared Sparrowhawk and Australian Hobby.  At Whiskers Creek the Eastern Yellow Robins have returned.

In August the other migrants will start to return, and breeding activity will build up.  Another post lists the species recorded in these activities for August in past Carwoola records. In addition to the Black Swans with cygnets, early starters in July have been Australian Magpie, Striated Thornbill and White-browed Scrubwren.


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


 1  Waterbirds:  Musk Duck; Black Swan;  Australian Shelduck; Australian Wood Duck; Australian Shoveler; Grey Teal;  Pacific Black Duck; Hardhead; Australasian Grebe;  Little Pied Cormorant;  White‑faced Heron; Eurasian Coot;

2 Birds of Prey:  Black-shouldered Kite; Brown Goshawk; Collared Sparrowhawk; Spotted Harrier; Swamp Harrier Wedge-tailed Eagle; Little Eagle; Nankeen Kestrel; Brown Falcon; Australian Hobby; Black Falcon, Peregrine Falcon.

3 Parrots and Relatives:  Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo; Gang‑gang Cockatoo; Galah;  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; Horsfield's Bronze‑Cuckoo;  Laughing Kookaburra;

5 Honeyeaters: Eastern Spinebill;  White-eared 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; WillieWagtail;  Magpie-lark;  Scarlet Robin;  Flame Robin;  Eastern Yellow Robin; Welcome Swallow; Tree Martin.

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; European Goldfinch

8 Other, smaller birds:  White-throated Treecreeper; Varied Sitella; Skylark; Golden-headed Cisticola; 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

Raptors of Plains Rd

After an exciting report of a Black Falcon feeding cooperatively with (or as one expert described it 'bullying') a Spotted Harrier an expedition was mounted on the 7th of July to see whether the episode could be repeated.


It wasn't but we did record 6 species of raptor in 2 hours which is pretty good going.  The first was a female (by size) Australian Hobby which traveled along fence lines in front of us, eventually posing for a portrait.

Other raptors seen were Nankeen Kestrel (2); Black -shouldered Kite (2), Brown Falcon (3); Little Eagle and Spotted Harrier.  Much effort was put into looking for the Black Falcon, but on the day it didn't oblige.  


Of the other 24 species seen the most exciting was a flock of at least 8 Diamond Firetails.