February 2015

Notes on birds February 2015

The most interesting - or least unusual - sightings for the month have been:

• Spotless Crake at Yandiguinula (formerly Resch’s) Creek – an addition to the list;
•  Satin Flycatcher in our yard (3^rd record in this project); and
•   54 White-throated Needletails on the Plain (watch thunderstorm fronts for these exciting birds);
• Crescent Honeyeater has turned up on the Molonglo after sightings up Widgiewa last year!

A few species are still engaged in breeding activities including a Yellow-faced Honeyeater nest next to our deck early in the month.  Species seen doing things related to procreation are marked in red below.

The other, more typical, seasonal aspect is that the migrant species will soon be thinking of heading off.  In this regard it is interesting that larger numbers of Dusky Wood-swallow - up to 40 birds - are appearing on Whiskers Creek Rd in the mornings.  I have done a special report on that on the blog and will do a graphical update shortly;  In summary the situation is as follows:

• Migrants expected in February but not recorded: Shining bronze-Cuckoo, Pallid Cuckoo;
• Migrants expected in February as last month and recorded: Fan-tailed Cuckoo and Australian Reed-warbler;
• Migrants recorded in February expected to have left in January: Brush Cuckoo, Sacred Kingfisher and Brown Songlark

On balance I think it is about situation normal.

Overall for the month we recorded 100 species in the area: almost identical to last year and - somewhat surprisingly - slightly above the average for the last 6 years!

Everyone has done very well, especially the reporters from Forbes Creek, Hoskinstown, Widgiewa Rd, Knox Close, the Plain, Pony Place, Captains Flat Rd, Radcliffe, and Wanna Wanna Rd. 

Please pass on interesting sightings to me by email to martinflab@gmail.com.

Recorded in the month

1  Waterbirds:  Musk Duck; Black Swan;  Australian Wood Duck; Australian Shoveler; Grey Teal; Chestnut Teal; Pacific Black Duck; Hardhead;Australasian Grebe; Hoary-headed Grebe; Darter; Little Pied Cormorant; Great Cormorant; White‑necked Heron; White‑faced Heron; Nankeen Night Heron; Australian White Ibis; Straw-necked Ibis; Purple Swamphen; Spotless Crake;   Eurasian Coot; Masked Lapwing.

2 Birds of Prey:  Brown Goshawk; Collared Sparrowhawk;Spotted Harrier; 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: Stubble Quail; Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon; Tawny Frogmouth; Australian Owlet-nightjar;White-throated Needletail; Fan‑tailed Cuckoo; Brush Cuckoo; Laughing Kookaburra; Sacred Kingfisher

5 Honeyeaters: Eastern Spinebill; Yellow-faced Honeyeater; White-eared Honeyeater; Noisy Miner; Red Wattlebird; New Holland Honeyeater; Crescent Honeyeater; Brown‑headed Honeyeater;  Noisy Friarbird;

6 Flycatchers and similar species: Rufous Whistler; Grey Shrike-thrush; Grey Fantail; WillieWagtail; Leaden Flycatcher; Satin Flycatcher; Magpie-lark; Scarlet Robin;  Eastern Yellow Robin;Welcome Swallow;Tree Martin

7 Thornbills, Finches and similar species:  Superb Fairy-wren; White-browed Scrubwren; Speckled warbler; Weebill;  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; Australian Reed-warbler; Brown Songlark; 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