October 2017

The most exciting sighting this month was a huge flock (~200 birds) of White-browed (see above) and Masked Woodswallows which turned up at our place for a few hours mid-month.   White-winged Trillers vary in their abundance: some years none, other years they are everywhere.  This year they seem to be in good numbers. Those species and a few others are covered in an ad-hoc blogpost.

Red-capped Robins have been seen at our house on a few occasions recently.  The most recent visit is covered by a post. A White-fronted Chat was seen beside Hoskinstown Rd (where Banded Lapwings resided 2 years ago).

There has been a further Grey Goshawk sighting, off Captains Flat Rd (not far from the Molonglo).  I wondered if this was the bird reported in September was following the River but the first sighting was a grey bird, while the one in October was white-phase.  Two members of this species in the area is quite exciting..  

Overall 102 species of birds have been recorded in the month.  This is pretty much on average - quite an achievement considering the dry and/or blackened state of a fair chunk of the study area.

Thinking about the level of diversity I record the species occurring each week in a 3Ha area based on our house and keep a cumulative tally of the number of species seen since the start of July.  This year the diversity began quite low - up to 8 species below the average.  However in mid-September (GBS week 38) a bunch of species were added to the list and its just kept growing.

In terms of breeding, I have received reports of 18 species at various stages of the breeding cycle.  The most interesting have been Sacred Kingfishers in Knox Close, Olive -backed Orioles copulating in Wanna Wanna Rd and Australian King-Parrots inspecting a hollow on the Community Plant Walk in Stoney Creek NR!   After spotting an egg under a very agitated dad on 19 October ...

... there is now at least one chick is in the Tawny Frogmouth nest in our yard.  

An unusual breeding record was a pair of Pacific Black Ducks standing on the muddy shore of a dam with an egg between: intention clear, execution appalling.  The species observed breeding are shown in red text in the list below.

Of the regular migrants 12 of the expected species have returned on time, one “usual“ was late and six have been early.  2 less common species have not yet been recorded.  Overall, I’d  rate it as an early year.

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, Wanna Wanna Rd, Molonglo Valley, Primrose Valley 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 Shelduck; Australian Wood Duck; Pink-eared Duck; Australian Shoveler; Grey Teal; Pacific Black Duck; Hardhead; Australasian Grebe; Hoary-headed Grebe; Little Pied Cormorant; Australian Pelican;  White‑necked Heron; White‑faced Heron; Eurasian  Coot; Black-winged Stilt; Masked Lapwing;

2 Birds of Prey:  Brown Goshawk; Collared Sparrowhawk; Grey Goshawk; Wedge-tailed 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): Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon;  Tawny Frogmouth; Horsfield's Bronze‑Cuckoo; 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; Yellow-tufted Honeyeater; Noisy Miner; Red Wattlebird; White-fronted Chat; Scarlet Honeyeater , 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; Red‑capped Robin, Flame Robin; Welcome Swallow; Fairy Martin; Tree Martin

7 Thornbills, Finches and similar species (Pt 1) (Pt 2):  Superb Fairy-wren; White-browed Scrubwren;  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; House Sparrow; European Goldfinch

8 Other, smaller birds:  White-throated Treecreeper; Varied Sitella; Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike; White‑-winged Triller; Olive‑backed Oriole; Masked Woodswallow; White‑browed Woodswallow; Dusky Woodswallow; Skylark; 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