April 2016

In contrast to March with few unusual birds, April has been a stream thereof .  The most exciting sighting was a Chestnut-rumped Heathwren, seen by a member of COG  on Spring Range Rd in Yanununbeyan SCA.   That is closely followed by a Powerful Owl which called for most of the month on Wanna Wanna Rd.  These birds plus Southern Whiteface, White-plumed Honeyeater and Varied Sittella are reviewed in a special blogpost.

We also had a mystery bird which seemed to be like a Painted Honeyeater, but we didn’t get a good enough look to claim such an unusual bird (in fact your author was busy on something else and didn't see it at all).  And no one else has seen it since.

So with all of that going on it is not surprising that diversity has been well and truly evident.

The 102 species recorded amount to  12 more than March 2016; 11 more than April 2015 and 15 more than the average for April.  As well as the species described in the post linked above a couple of migrant species were added: Flame Robins have moved down from their breeding territory to stay for Winter and White-naped Honeyeaters tagged on behind the Yellow-faced Honeyeaters on their way to wintering grounds.  The remaining additional species were birds that may often get missed as they are not common but probably present in the area throughout the year  but skulking - eg 12 Brown Quail at Hoskinstown - just not where observers happen to have gone).

Tawny Frogmouths are very regular sightings in the area (not least because a pair roost each day in our garden).  It was unusual however to receive a report of one squatting on Wanna Wanna Rd.  I presume it was feeding on road killed moths.  Fortunately the observer was able to get it off the road without injury to bird or observer.

The migration has basically happened: by the end of the month the streams of honeyeaters had dried up and few of the other Summer migrants remained (although quite a few migrant species are included - highlighted in orange for Summer migrants and blue for those that come in Winter - in the list this month).  Breeding also appears to have ceased in this area.

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, Douglas Close, Wanna Wanna, and Hoskinstown Plain and Village. I'm always happy to receive reports, my email address is martinflab@gmail.com.

1  Waterbirds (pt 1):  (pt 2); (Pt 3); (Pt 4):Musk Duck; Black Swan;  Australian Shelduck; Australian Wood Duck; Australian Shoveler; Grey Teal; Pacific Black Duck; Hardhead; Australasian Grebe; Hoary-headed Grebe; Darter; Little Black Cormorant; Little Pied Cormorant; Great Cormorant; Australian Pelican;  White‑necked Heron;  Eastern Great Egret: White‑faced Heron; Australian White Ibis; Eurasian  Coot;Black‑fronted Dotterel; Masked Lapwing.

2 Birds of Prey:  Black-shouldered Kite; Brown Goshawk; Collared Sparrowhawk;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; Superb Parrot; Crimson Rosella; Eastern Rosella; Red-rumped Parrot

4 Kingfishers and other non-songbirds (Pt 1) (Pt 2) (Pt 3): Stubble Quail; Brown quail; Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon; Tawny Frogmouth; Powerful Owl; Laughing Kookaburra;

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

6 Flycatchers and similar species: Golden Whistler;Rufous Whistler; Grey Shrike-thrush; Grey Fantail; Willie Wagtail; Leaden Flycatcher;  Magpie-lark; Scarlet Robin; Red‑capped Robin, Flame Robin;  Eastern Yellow Robin; Welcome Swallow; Tree Martin

7 Thornbills, Finches and similar species (Pt 1) (Pt 2):  Superb Fairy-wren; White-browed Scrubwren; Chestnut-rumped heathwren; 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; Varied Sitella; Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike; Dusky Woodswallow; Skylark; Golden-headed Cisticola; 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