June 2015

In case you think it has been cold recently, I have recorded 22/30 minimum temperatures in June as below 0^oC and the temperature didn't get above  15^oC all month.  I have put a full weather report on my main blog.

I will begin the bird stuff with a bad sighting: 9 Common Mynas near the top of Douglas Close.  Possibly thought should be given by the residents in that area to contacting CIMAG to get a trap!

Overall the month has not been too bad for diversity  with 77 species recorded.   This is slightly above average (mainly due to a very low score in June 2011) and 2 species down on last year.

Raptors were particularly low in presence and abundance, with only three species recorded.  A former resident - now living  in Greeeleigh - commented that 

"while raptors do not have a regular presence in Greenleigh, this past few months have been leaner than usual, with no records so far in June and a similar void in March and April.  WTE and LE both recorded in May."

So we are not alone.

Waterbirds were also few in number in the spots visited, possibly reflecting them being widely distributed on the extent of water around the countryside after a soggy May.  However diversity was quite reasonable.

On a positive note a Superb Lyrebird was seen near Wanna Wanna Rd.  The seasonal mixed flocks have also appeared with one at Whiskers Creek including Speckled Warbler, Scarlet Robin and Varied Sitella. Less expected in the season was Fan-tailed Cuckoo: one was heard calling near Wanna Wanna Rd late in the month and then a call was heard 2 days later at Whiskers Creek Rd,  I believe this to be an over-wintering bird rather than an early return.

Thanks to observers in Widgiewa Rd, Hoskinstown (both on the Plain and in the village); Knox Close, Pony Place; Captains Flat Rd and Wanna Wanna Rd.  Please pass on interesting sightings to me by email to martinflab@gmail.com.  

Thanks also to the owners of a property on the Plain who have allowed us to bird there in the past. They are now selling the place and mention the birding delights in the sale notice.  It is a magnificent birding site with old Eucalypts and I commend it to any readers (or reader's friends) looking for a great tree change site for birding.

Enough with the advertisements already: here is the bird list for June!

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‑necked Heron; White‑faced Heron; Eurasian Coot; Black‑fronted Dotterel;Masked Lapwing

2 Birds of Prey:  Wedge-tailed Eagle; Nankeen Kestrel; Brown Falcon; 

3 Parrots and Relatives:   Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo; Galah; Sulphur‑crested Cockatoo; Australian King‑parrot; Crimson Rosella; Eastern Rosella; Red-rumped parrot

4 Kingfishers and other non-songbirds: Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon; Tawny Frogmouth; Fan‑tailed Cuckoo;  Laughing Kookaburra; Superb lyrebird

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; Eastern Yellow 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; Spotted Pardalote; Striated Pardalote; Silvereye; Red‑browed Finch; House Sparrow; European Goldfinch

8 Other, smaller birds:  White-throated Treecreeper; Varied Sitella; Skylark; Common Blackbird; Common Myna; 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