October 2016

In the middle of the month a member of COG reported seeing Chestnut-rumped Heathwrens in Cuumbeun near the gate off Captains Flat Rd.  I was subsequently able to spot them close to the dam on Link Trail.  The red spots in the following map mark the most likely habitat for this species, which has been previously found in the area.

The other reported unusual  bird was a Nankeen Night Heron at a billabong off Wanna Wanna.  At this time of year it may be breeding somewhere in the area.

In total we recorded 96 species in the month.  This is quite a bit below the average since 2010.

17 of the MIAs are waterbirds.  As explained in this post, they have all gone  North and West!

Migrant species have been returning pretty much on schedule, in contrast to last year when a noticeable proportion were early.  The remaining species are White-winged Triller, the two Songlarks and the two big Cuckoos (Koel and Channel-billed Cuckoo).  Pleas let me know if you spot any of these.  I would have expected the 'unusual' Woodswallows - Masked or White-browed to have appeared by now if they were coming so I think they are not appearing this year.

Breeding has been reported well with 17 18 species (marked in red below) at various stages of the procreational process.  It particularly pleasant to watch a pair of Leaden Flycatchers building a nest at a property on Wanna Wanna Rd.  First the female ...

 .. and then the male.  Note the blue-grey colour, very different to the shining jet-black of the closely related - but much less common in this area - Satin Flycatcher

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, Knox Close, Douglas Close, Captains Flat Rd, 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; Grey Teal; Pacific Black Duck; Australasian Grebe; Little Black Cormorant; Little Pied Cormorant; Cattle Egret; White‑faced Heron; Nankeen Night Heron; Eurasian  Coot; Masked Lapwing

2 Birds of Prey:  Black-shouldered Kite; Brown Goshawk; Collared Sparrowhawk; 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; Australian King‑parrot; Superb Parrot; 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;  Shining Bronze‑cuckoo; Pallid Cuckoo; Fan‑tailed Cuckoo; Southern Boobook;  Laughing Kookaburra; Sacred Kingfisher;  Dollarbird

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

6 Flycatchers and similar species: Rufous Whistler; Grey Shrike-thrush; Grey Fantail; Willie Wagtail; Leaden 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; Chestnut-rumped heathwren; Speckled warbler; Weebill;  White-throated Gerygone; Striated Thornbill; Yellow 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;  Australian Reed-warbler; 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