January 2015

As the highlight for this month - 5 Nankeen Night-Herons  - comes from Molonglo River Park I thought I'd start with a photo I took there.

I have never previously seen a snap of a Little Pied Cormorant with its mouth open and its tongue exposed.

Those interested in Tawny Frogmouths will be interested in the post of 22 January on Stuart Rae's blog.  He follows 49 pairs of Froggies in the Nature Parks of Canberra.  Another ad-hoc post, by me this time has some images of Sacred Kingfishers.

Monthly Report

This year has started with somewhat of a whimper.  I have noticed that diversity around our house has been quite low, an this is reflected in reports from other observers.  Overall we have recorded 95 species, 8 less than in December 2014 and 11 less than January 2014.  We are also 5 species below the average since 2009.

I am a bit of a loss to explain this other than to note that we have had the heaviest rainfall for the past 8 years in the months of December and January.  I assume that has made the birds spread out a bit more (and possibly 'stick' in the dry country).

The breeding season has pretty much ground to a halt with only two species (White-faced Heron and Yellow-faced Honeyeater) recorded undertaking breeding activity.  This is a marked contrast to a recent COG outing to the Brindabellas where many species were seen with young on nest or being fed.

It is getting close to the dates for migrants to depart and I will try to do an ad-hoc post about departure dates before the February report.  Perhaps it is notable that the MIAs this month include both Songlarks and White-winged Triller despite observer endeavours in likely habitat?

For December I thank observers in Forbes Creek, Hoskinstown, Widgiewa Rd, Knox Close, the Plain, Pony Place, Captains Flat Rd, Radcliffe, and Wanna Wanna Rd.for their efforts in reporting.   I'm always happy to hear of other sightings of interest to you, in the current season especially of breeding actvities or first sightings of migrants, by email to martinflab@gmail.com. 

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

2 Birds of Prey: Brown Goshawk; Spotted Harrier;  Wedge-tailed Eagle; Little Eagle; Nankeen Kestrel; Brown Falcon

3 Parrots and Relatives:  Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo; Gang‑gang Cockatoo; Galah;  Little   Corella; Sulphur‑crested Cockatoo; Crimson Rosella; Eastern Rosella; Red-rumped parrot
 

4 Kingfishers and other non-songbirds: Stubble Quail;  Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon; Tawny Frogmouth; Horsfield's Bronze‑Cuckoo; Shining Bronze‑cuckoo; Fan‑tailed Cuckoo; Brush Cuckoo; Laughing Kookaburra; Sacred Kingfisher; Dollarbird

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

6 Flycatchers and similar species: Rufous Whistler; Grey Shrike-thrush; Grey Fantail; Willie Wagtail; Leaden Flycatcher; Magpie-lark; Eastern Yellow Robin;Welcome Swallow; Fairy Martin; 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; Spotted Pardalote; Striated Pardalote; Silvereye; 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; Skylark; Australian Reed-warbler; Common Blackbird; Common Starling;  Australasian  Pipit;

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