June 2016

Following on from the May sighting of 2 Spotted Quail-thrushes in Wanna-wanna Rd, I was told, after reports had been published that they were also sighted in Bernallah Rd. 

After 3 weeks of June I thought this month was going to be very light-on.  Most water bodies were brimming (or overflowing) with water (primarily due to the deluge early in the month) but more or less devoid of birds.  Bush birds were few and far between (as reported in the COG ACT Woodland Bird Surveys this month).  

Things improved greatly towards the end of the month with a pair of Chestnut Teal seen on a marsh on the Plain and two migrants (Grey Fantail and White-throated Gerygone) reported from Whiskers Creek Rd.  The latter was a considerable surprise at this time of year, but the report was supported by good field notes.  It was also pleasant to see a Black-shouldered Kite hunting on the Plain.

The upshot was that we finished the month with an above-average 82 species recorded in the 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, Cox Place, Wanna Wanna Rd, Bernallah Rd and Hoskinstown Plain and Village. I'm always happy to receive reports, my email address is martinflab@gmail.com. 

Readers may also be interested in a paper published in Canberra Bird Notes about sightings of some interesting species in the area. 

1  Waterbirds (pt 1):  (pt 2); (Pt 3); (Pt 4):Musk Duck; Black Swan;  Australian Shelduck; Australian Wood Duck; Australian Shoveler; Grey Teal; Chestnut Teal; Pacific Black Duck; Australasian Grebe; Little Pied Cormorant; Great Cormorant; Australian White Ibis; Eurasian  Coot; Black‑fronted Dotterel; Masked Lapwing; 

2 Birds of Prey:  Black-shouldered Kite; Brown Goshawk; Wedge-tailed 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 (Pt 1) (Pt 2) (Pt 3): Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon; Tawny Frogmouth; Laughing Kookaburra; 

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

6 Flycatchers and similar species: Golden Whistler; Grey Shrike-thrush; Grey Fantail; Willie Wagtail; Magpie-lark; Scarlet Robin; Flame Robin; Eastern Yellow Robin; Welcome Swallow

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; Red‑browed Finch; Diamond Firetail; House Sparrow; European Goldfinch

8 Other, smaller birds:  White-throated Treecreeper; Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike; kylark; 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