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!