December 2016

The starting image is of a Magpie-lark, photographed by Joy Williams, feeding its 4 chicks in a nest off Wanna Wanna Rd.

.Breeding is also a major aspect of the most exciting happening in the area (at least as far as birds go) in that Whiskered Terns are present on the Hoskinstown Plain in large numbers (at least 75 birds at times)  and are breeding.  On recent visits at least 30 nests have been observed in the sedges.

This is the first time these Terns have been recorded breeding in the area bounded (approximately) by  Goulburn, Yass and Cooma.  Very exciting!

On going to look at the Terns we have added 2 more species to the area list:

• Baillons Crake

• Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

To complete the coverage of exciting and unusual birds a Channel-billed Cuckoo (was heard from our place, and by a neighbour who recognised the very distinctive call from her time living in Brisbane.

Overall the diversity has been rather good this month after a little bit down recently.  At 111 species we are slightly above average for the month.

Migration has pretty much finished with two Cuckoos (Brush and Channel-billed) being the last arrivals.  Most species arrived in the expected months - a contrast to last year when many species were early.  A few species have not been observed this year with Rufous Songlarks being the most unlikely omission.  Possibly this reflects very good conditions for them "out West" combined with the very wet and cool Spring.

Breeding has really been happening all over.  20 species have been observed contributing in one or more ways to the continuation of their species.  They are shown with red text in the list 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, Knox Close, Radcliffe Circuit, Douglas Close, Captains Flat Rd, Wanna Wanna, and Hoskinstown Village and  Plain.. I'm always happy to receive reports, my email address is martinflab@gmail.com.

I shall endeavour to do my Annual Bird Report for 2016 in the next few days and will circulate links via the discussion group and Facebook page as appropriate.

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; Hardhead; Australasian Grebe; Hoary-headed Grebe; Little Pied Cormorant; White‑necked Heron;  White‑faced Heron; Australian White Ibis; Purple Swamphen; Baillons Crake Dusky Moorhen;  Eurasian  Coot; Black-winged Stilt;  Masked Lapwing; Latham’s Snipe; Sharp-tailed Sandpiper; Whiskered tern; Silver Gull

2 Birds of Prey:  Brown Goshawk; Collared Sparrowhawk; Spotted Harrier; Wedge-tailed Eagle; Little Eagle; Nankeen Kestrel;

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; Tawny Frogmouth; Australian Owlet-nightjar; Painted Button-quail; Channel-billed Cuckoo; Shining Bronze‑cuckoo; Pallid Cuckoo; Fan‑tailed Cuckoo; Brush Cuckoo; Southern Boobook; Laughing Kookaburra; Sacred Kingfisher; 

5 Honeyeaters: Eastern Spinebill; Yellow-faced Honeyeater; White-eared Honeyeater; Noisy Miner; Red Wattlebird; New Holland Honeyeater;  Brown‑headed 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; Weebill;  White-throated Gerygone; 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; Spotted  Quail-thrush; Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike; White‑-winged Triller; Olive‑backed Oriole; Dusky Woodswallow; Skylark; Golden-headed Cisticola; Australian Reed-warbler;  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