May 2017

The most exciting sighting this month was watching 2 Australian Hobbies hunting bats over a dam on Wanna Wanna Rd.  In the course of 30 minutes the two falcons killed 6 bats.  A couple of days later a single Hobby was observed making 8 attacks but failing each time!

Later in the month a dead Southern Boobook was also found in that area (but unlikely to have been Hobby-prey).  Speckled Warblers are seen moderately often, but I was surprised to see 3 at once feeding as part of a flock.  Another bird that is quite uncommon in our area (but quite common in Lake Burley Griffin) is the Australasian Darter.  2 immature birds were seen on Foxlow Lagoon (from the road).

In total we recorded 84 species over the month.  This the expected seasonal drop from April, but is slightly above the average recorded for May.

Migrants have largely migrated although a sighting of an immature Olive-backed Oriole was a large surprise. Breeding has stopped, as expected for the time of year 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, Knox Close, Captains Flat Rd,   Wanna Wanna Rd, and Hoskinstown Village and  Plain. Please pass on interesting sightings to me by email to martinflab@gmail.com.  

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

2 Birds of Prey:  Brown Goshawk; Collared Sparrowhawk;Wedge-tailed Eagle;  Nankeen Kestrel; Brown Falcon; Australian Hobby; 

3 Parrots and Relatives: Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo; Gang‑gang Cockatoo; Galah; 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; Rock Dove, Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon;Tawny Frogmouth; Southern Boobook;  Laughing Kookaburra; Superb lyrebird

5 Honeyeaters: Eastern Spinebill; Yellow-faced Honeyeater; White-eared Honeyeater; Noisy Miner; Red Wattlebird;  Brown‑headed 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; Speckled warbler; Weebill; 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; Olive‑backed Oriole; ; Dusky Woodswallow; Common Blackbird; 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