June 2013

I'll start this month by thanking John Bisset of Widgiewa Rd for his contribution to these records over the past several years.  He has now moved to Victoria and will be missed.

The most exciting sighting was a White-bellied Sea Eagle lifting off from a kangaroo on Wanna‑wanna Rd.  It was subsequently seen at another nearby property.

Late one evening I heard what I interpreted as a "mad-woman scream” call (or possibly two birds doing so).  This is usually associated with Barking Owls, but on listening to my collection of bird calls, the best match was Eastern Barn Owl.  They seem to be back in the area.  It is possibly not a coincidence that mice also seem to have returned!

Finally, on a stroll around a property on the HoskinstownPlain a flock of 7 Flame Robins – 3 of them males in full glory – were seen.  I have also seen good numbers of them along the road to Foxlow Bridge.   As the birds are rated as threatened in NSW it is good that our area supports quite a few of them.

As is usually the case June has shown a drop (4 species) , compared to May, in the number of species seen in the area.  This year that is probably influenced by weather which is not conducive to birding but mainly by the absence - in some cases permanent - of some regular contributors.  Thank you to those who have stepped up more than usually, to report their sightings (which are of course always welcome).

In total we have recorded 78 species for the month, 1 down on last June but adequately up on the four year average of 74.75. 

Thanks to contributors in Wanna Wanna,  Radcliffe, Widgeiewa Rd and Hoskinstown for their reports

1  Waterbirds:  Australian Wood Duck; Grey Teal;  Pacific Black Duck; Hardhead;Australasian Grebe; Hoary-headed Grebe; Little Pied Cormorant; White‑faced Heron;  Glossy Ibis; Australian White Ibis; Straw-necked Ibis;  Eurasian Coot; Masked Lapwing; Banded Lapwing

2 Birds of Prey:  Black-shouldered Kite; White-bellied Sea-eagle; Brown Goshawk; Wedge-tailed Eagle; Nankeen Kestrel; Brown 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; Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon; Tawny Frogmouth; Australian Owlet-nightjar;  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

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

I have also put some birdbath images on my home blog.

I try to avoid promoting commercial thingies on my blogs but some of you may not have heard of the latest book by Ian Fraser (with Jeannie Gray) on Australian Bird Names.  It explains how the names arose and what they mean (both common names and the Latin).  A good read!

May 2013

I will start this post by acknowledging the contribution to these records by Kim McKenzie of Hoskinstown, who died on 17 May as a result of illness.  He added a number of very exciting records to the database and will be missed for this, and many other reasons.   A few of his excellent - what a weak word to describe his images - photographs are on another page.  The sincere sympathy of the birding group goes  to Sophie, Huxley and Pipit.

As is usually the case May has shown a large drop, compared to April, in the number of species seen in the area.  As well as the usual flight of migrants from the area (no bugs nor nectar to eat, they head North), the area has had at least 10 months of below average rainfall so there is little to keep many of the residents around either.

{updated}In total we have recorded 82 species for the month, slightly up on the four year average of 80.5. {updated}

What I have noticed is that the birds that are evident are appearing in larger flocks.  We normally get groups of 4 – 5 Crimson Rosellas and over the last month these have increased to 8-10 birds.  Similarly with Superb Fairy Wrens: when they appear picking over the lawn there are typically 6 -10 in the group.

The most interesting reports I have received (and in some cases these have been from just outside the Gazette catchment area) have been of night-flying birds coming to houses to dine on the swifts fluttering against the illuminated windows.  One of ‘our’ resident Tawny Frogmouths has done a “flit and grab raid” on a couple of occasions and other observers have reported Southern Boobook and Australian Owlet-nightjar behaving in a similar fashion.

The least common bird seen in the month was a Jacky Winter reported from Forbes Creek (only the second record in the area).  A Common Mynah has unfortunately stuck its nose beak out in Hoskinstown.

Thanks to contributors from Widgiewa Rd and Hosknstown.

As always I am very happy to receive your observations by email to martinflab@gmail.com.

1  Waterbirds:  Musk Duck; Australian Wood Duck; Australian Shoveler; Grey Teal; Pacific Black Duck; Hardhead; Australasian Grebe; Hoary-headed Grebe; Little Pied Cormorant; White‑necked Heron; White‑faced Heron; Nankeen Night Heron; Glossy Ibis; Australian White Ibis; Eurasian Coot;Masked Lapwing;

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

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

4 Kingfishers and other non-songbirds: Brown quail; Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon; Tawny Frogmouth; Australian Owlet-nightjar;  Southern Boobook; 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; Grey Shrike-thrush; Grey Fantail; WillieWagtail;  Magpie-lark; Jacky Winter; Scarlet Robin; Flame 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; Spotted Pardalote; Striated Pardalote; Silvereye; Red‑browed Finch; Diamond Firetail; House Sparrow; European Goldfinch

8 Other, smaller birds:  White-throated Treecreeper; Varied Sitella; Dusky Woodswallow; Common Blackbird; Common Myna; Common Starling; Mistletoebird

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

Vale Kim Mackenzie

Kim has gone, far too soon.  As a small tribute here are a few of the images he has sent over the past 4 years.

Superb Parrot (from his block) - a range extension

Plumed Whistling Duck from Bungendore.

Australian Shelduck .- from the Plain

At the celebration of Kim's life on 2 June mention was made of his great hand/eye coordination.  If proof were needed of that, those two images of ducks in flight fill the bill.

A great guy and always happy to share the results of his skill with others.  He will be missed.