December 2015

Well, it has all been happening.  My report for the hard-copy Gazette included the following:

 ... a PacificKoel was around the Plain for several days, an Australian Owlet‑nightjar called recently on Whiskers Creek Rd  and my final bird for 2015 was a Satin Flycatcher in our garden!  Also of note 2 Latham’s Snipe flushed from a dam near Captains Flat Rd and a Rufous Fantail reported from Wanna Wanna Rd.

In addition a moderate sized flock of Little Corellas was at the intersection of Widgiewa and Captains Flat Rds for a few days.  This continues the more regular appearance of this species in the area as shown in this report..

As well as these less usual birds there have been some large flocks around.  An observer from The Plain sent an email including:

As well as the large flocks of Galah’s ( 300+) I have had I reckon close to 400 cockatoos as well as up to 60 Wood Ducks, 50 Magpies , 75 -100 little ravens mainly chasing the oats seed in the paddock ......

Overall we observed 111 species for the month.  This is a small drop from the 115 in November 2015 but 8 more than for December 2014.

After a few very quiet months for raptors the numbers of species seen in this group has picked up again.  

In terms of MIAs, 

• our pair of Tawny Frogmouths have disappeared once the chicks fledged, which I suspect is due to harassment from Pied Currawongs; and
• the Banded Lapwings of Hoskinstown have vanished as the grass grew.  Not only would that make them hard to see, but many species don't like tall grass as it conceals lurking predators.

Not all the sightings were good.  Quoting again from my Gazette report:

There was a sad end to month when I saw a flock of approximately 12 Common Mynas heading towards the Community Hall.  If someone who lives near there would like to operate a trap I can put them in touch with the relevant people.  It would be a pity if this vermin settled in the area.

11 species have been observed breeding in the area, and as would be expected most of those are dependent young observations.  One exception was calling between male and female Pallid Cuckoos, suggesting bad news for thornbills!  The species concerned are marked in red below.

As always thanks to the observers who have provided reports to me for the month.  These have covered sites in  Whiskers Creek Rd, Widgiewa Rd, Wanna Wanna, Bowen Street, Radcliffe Circuit, Hoskinstown Plain and Village, Captains Flat Rd and Molonglo Valley. 

I have also compiled a report covering the whole of 2015 including comparisons with earlier years.  As has been my standard practice it is in 4 parts, starting here.

Summer migrants are highlighted in orange, and Winter migrants in blue.  

1  Waterbirds (pt 1):  (pt 2); (Pt 3); (Pt 4): Black Swan; Australian Wood Duck; Pink-eared Duck; Australian Shoveler; Grey Teal; Pacific Black Duck; Hardhead; Australasian Grebe; Hoary-headed Grebe; Darter; Little Black Cormorant; Little Pied Cormorant; Great Cormorant; White‑necked Heron;Eastern Great Egret: White‑faced Heron; Australian White Ibis; Dusky Moorhen;  Eurasian  Coot; Masked Lapwing; Latham’s Snipe 

2 Birds of Prey:  Black-shouldered Kite; Brown Goshawk; Spotted Harrier; Wedge-tailed Eagle; Little Eagle; Nankeen Kestrel; Brown Falcon; Peregrine Falcon.

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

4 Kingfishers and other non-songbirds (Pt 1) (Pt 2) (Pt 3): Stubble Quail; Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon; Australian Owlet-nightjar; Common Koel; Horsfield's Bronze‑Cuckoo; Shining Bronze‑cuckoo; Pallid Cuckoo; Fan‑tailed Cuckoo; Brush Cuckoo; Southern Boobook; Laughing Kookaburra; Sacred Kingfisher; Dollarbird; 

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

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

7 Thornbills, Finches and similar species (Pt 1) (Pt 2):  Superb Fairy-wren; White-browed Scrubwren;   Weebill; White-throated Gerygone; 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; Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike; White‑-winged Triller; Olive‑backed Oriole; Dusky Woodswallow; Skylark; Australian Reed-warbler; Rufous Songlark; Brown Songlark; 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