The poetry of Gang-gangs

At this time of year the hawthorn bushes along roads in the Hoskinstown Plain are visited by Gang-gang Cockatoos, sometimes in large flocks.  This is described in a poem (thanks for the link Kim) by David Campbell. 

 Campbell lived in this area so he was writing from experience.  One of our victories at the Lifeline Book Fair was buying a copy of a poetry journal (for 50c) and finding it inscribed in handwriting "From the library of David Campbell".

While composing this post a flock of 6 adult Crimson Rosellas visited the pistachio tree outside my study window and since they are:

• not too distantly, related to Cockatoos;
• are very pretty birds;
• posed nicely

here are some images of some of them.  If they are not too clear I apologise but it was -4C outside and my fingers weren't working too well.

Notes on New Holland Honeyeater

This species seems to be establishing itself rather more in the area than in the past.   Since I started compiling this information in February 2007 records are available for 82 months and New Holland Honeyeaters (NHHE) have been reported in 24 (29%) of these months.

 This chart show that the NHHE are most commonly reported in late Autumn and early Spring, suggesting that it passes through the area on migration.  I am not sure about this proposal since my impression is that in the past the sightings for the species tend to be very sporadic (typically 1 observation per month) and restricted to a small part of the study area.  I believe that until 2012 nearly all the observations were from Forbes Creek or a property near Rossi (both right on the edge of the study area).

An alternative explanation is that the birds are exploiting nectar rich flowers.  At the site near Rossi the birds are always seen near flowering Grevillea sp while at Forbes Creek (and the more recent site at Widgiewa Rd) Banksia sp seem to be the attractants.

In my experience in the ACT the species could be observed in 3 situations:

• The high country - around 100m -  feeding on Silver Banksias (B. marginata);
• Australian National Botanic Gardens feeding on many of the Banksias and Grevilleas there (this was, and still is, the 'hotspot); and
• A number of dense plantings of Grevillea sp esp G.rosmarinifolia around Lake Burley Griffin and the Molonglo River.

This is pretty much the situation shown in the Bird Atlas of the ACT (sadly, now out of print) referring to the mid-late 1980s.   Taking a slightly wider view and current to this date, the birdata project of Birdlife Australia has this map.

The records for the ACT largely conform to the expected pattern - I believe the set of records to the SW of the urban area represent Grevilleas along the Murrumbidgee - and show the spread of sightings along the ranges in this area.  The more recent records are in the middle of the gap directly North of Captains Flat.

So why are the birds appearing in this 'new' area?  A very good question!  I will hypothesise that it reflects several years of pretty good rainfall leading to an outbreak of natural flowering of the native Grevilleas (both G. alpina and G lanigera occur in the area) and Banksias (notably B marginata) getting the birds closer to our area.  They then encounter plantings in lucky people's gardens.

May 2012

This is a full report to supplement the summary to be published in the Gazette.

The cold weather expected in Winter really kicked in for May and many species took the hint.  This includes Homo sapiens as many of the observers seem to have found a need to be somewhere warmer for at least part of the month.  As a result the number of species observed has dropped from 93 in April 2012 to 81 in May 2012.  That is one more  than the number of species reported in May for the last two years!  The following image shows the number of species reported in the last year (ie June 2011 to May 2012) and the average of all available months.

Highlights in the month were: 

• Cattle Egret and Spotted Harrier on Plains Rd; 
• Black Swan nesting near Mills Cross (see image below -the only breeding record for the month); 
• Yellow-tufted Honeyeater at Hoskinstown, 
• continued presence of New Holland Honeyeater in a birdbath at Widgiewa Rd

The low point was a sighting of a Common Myna at the Eastern end of Plains Rd.

Migrant birds are shown in italics below and the breeding species in red. Thanks to several observers in the Molonglo Valley, Forbes Creek, Hoskinstown, and Widgiewa Rd.

1  Waterbirds:  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; Eurasian Coot; Black‑fronted Dotterel; Masked Lapwing

2 Birds of Prey:  Black-shouldered Kite;  Brown Goshawk; ;Spotted Harrier; Wedge-tailed Eagle; Nankeen Kestrel; Brown Falcon;

3 Parrots and Relatives:  Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo; Gang‑gang Cockatoo; Galah; Sulphur‑crested Cockatoo;  Crimson Rosella; Eastern Rosella; Red-rumped parrot

4 Kingfishers and other non-songbirds: Stubble Quail; Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon; Tawny Frogmouth; Australian Owlet-nightjar; Eastern Barn Owl; Laughing Kookaburra;

5 Honeyeaters: Eastern Spinebill; Yellow-faced Honeyeater; White-eared Honeyeater; Yellow-tufted 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; WillieWagtail; Magpie-lark; Scarlet Robin; Flame Robin; Eastern Yellow Robin; Welcome Swallow; 

7 Thornbills, Finches and similar species:  Superb Fairy-wren; White-browed Scrubwren; Weebill; Striated Thornbill; Yellow‑rumped Thornbill; Buff‑rumped Thornbill; Brown Thornbill; Southern Whiteface; 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;   Common Myna; Common Starling; Mistletoebird; Australasian  Pipit;

9  Other, larger birds: Grey Butcherbird; Australian Magpie; Pied Currawong; Grey Currawong; Australian Raven; Little Raven; White-winged Chough

Green birding 2012

For the last 2 years a group in North America have promoted green birding and this has led an affiliated (or at least like-minded - I am unsure of the formalities or politics) set up a Big Green Day event.  The basic idea is not to use petrol etc while doing your birding.  It doesn't have to be a full day and for the Carwoola part my contribution started at 5pm on 6 May and finished at 1pm on 7 May (when I took the car into town).   Basically there were two bits to my observations:

1. a walk round our property starting at about 8am; and
2. a bike ride from our place to Hoskinstown(ish) starting about 10am. 

I wrote down 44 species in that time.  Quite a few usual suspects were not seen (Crested Pigeon, Red Wattlebird; Masked Lapwing; Weebill, ...) and next year I must give it a better go!

Australian Shelduck, 2 flying over Briars-Sharrow Road
Australian Wood Duck
Pacific Black Duck
Australasian Grebe
Tawny Frogmouth, 2 Whiskers Creek Rd
Little Pied Cormorant
Little Black Cormorant, 2 on dam in middle of Plains Rd
Black-shouldered kite, at least 3 at various spots on the Plain
Nankeen kestrel
Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo
Galah
Sulphur-crested cockatoo
Crimson Rosella
Eastern Rosella
Red-rumped parrot, 6 flew over Windemere Cottage, Plains Rd
Laughing Kookaburra
White-throated treecreeper
Superb Fairy-wren
White-browed scrubwren
Yellow-rumped thornbill
Buff-rumped thornbill
Brown thornbill
Spotted pardalote
Striated pardalote
Eastern spinebill
Golden whistler
Grey shrike-thrush
Australian Magpie
Pied Currawong
Grey currawong
Willie wagtail
Australian Raven
Little Raven, app 50 at various spots where they could scrounge food along Plains Rd
Magpie-lark
Scarlet robin, male, Plains Rd
Flame robin, female, Plains Rd
Eastern Yellow Robin, WhiskersCreek
Welcome swallow
Common starling
Double-barred finch
Red-browed finch
Diamond Firetail, about 5km down Plains Rd
House sparrow
Australasian pipit

I also fitted in a couple of episodes in Sri Lanka - worrying a little that flying to Sri Lanka is hardly Green.  But my hair shirt is a tad thin these days!

April 2012

Report compiled by Julienne Kamprad (thanks Julienne) 

During April a very respectable number of 93 bird species were recorded in the catchment area
of the Gazette. This is only 2 less than the total of the previous month March and 18 more than in April last year. There were no breeding records for the month. The one cuckoo I have seen, a Shining Bronze-cuckoo, was not calling but quietly accompanying a mixed feeding flock of small birds. Right on target the Flame Robin and Golden Whistlers have arrived although not all of the summer migrants have left. Several Red Wattlebirds, Noisy Friarbirds and Yellow-faced Honeyeaters remained to feed on and around the abundantly flowering Brittle Gum.

April’s special sightings
Black Falcon, Spotted Harrier and numerous Black-shouldered Kites graced our sky once again this
month.  Also of note were groups of 4 Cattle Egrets, 4 Varied Sittella, 20 Gang-gang Cockatoos, 20 Crested Pigeons, 50 Southern Whitefaces, 50 Silvereyes, 15 Masked Lapwings, 6 White-faced Herons and 300-400 Little Ravens.

Full List-
Migrant birds are shown in italics below. Thanks to several observers in the Molonglo Valley,
Forbes Creek, Hoskinstown, and Widgiewa Rd.

1 Waterbirds: Musk Duck; Black Swan; Australian Shelduck; Australian Wood Duck; Grey Teal;
Pacific Black Duck; Australasian Grebe; Darter; Little Pied Cormorant; Cattle Egret; White-faced Heron; Australian White Ibis; Purple Swamphen; Dusky Moorhen; Eurasian Coot; Masked Lapwing.

2 Birds of Prey: Black-shouldered Kite; Brown Goshawk; Collared Sparrowhawk; Spotted Harrier; Wedge-tailed Eagle; Little Eagle; Nankeen Kestrel; Brown Falcon; Black Falcon, Peregrine Falcon.

3 Parrots and Relatives: Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo; Ganggang Cockatoo; Galah;
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo; Crimson Rosella; Eastern Rosella; Red-rumped parrot

4 Kingfishers and other non-songbirds: Stubble Quail; Rock Dove; Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon; Tawny Frogmouth; Shining Bronzecuckoo; Eastern Barn Owl; Laughing Kookaburra.

5 Honeyeaters: Eastern Spinebill; Yellow-faced Honeyeater; White-eared Honeyeater; Noisy Miner;
Red Wattlebird; New Holland Honeyeater; Brownheaded Honeyeater; White-naped Honeyeater;
Noisy Friarbird

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

7 Thornbills, Finches and similar species: Superb Fairy-wren; White-browed Scrubwren; Weebill; White-throated Gerygone; Striated Thornbill; Yellowrumped Thornbill; Buffrumped Thornbill; Brown Thornbill; Southern Whiteface; Spotted Pardalote; Striated Pardalote; Silvereye; Doublebarred Finch; Red-browed Finch; Diamond Firetail; House Sparrow; European Goldfinch

8 Other, smaller birds: White-throated Treecreeper; Varied Sittella; Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike; 
Olive-backed Oriole; Dusky Woodswallow; Skylark; Common Blackbird; Common Myna; Common Starling; Australasian Pipit;

9 Other, larger birds Grey Butcherbird; Australian Magpie; Pied Currawong; Grey Currawong; Australian Raven; Little Raven; White-winged Chough

March 2012

In March a very good 95 species of birds were recorded in the catchment area of the Gazette.  This is 1 less than the total in February 2012 (a small drop was expected between these months) and 7 more than March 2011.  

Thanks to several observers in the Molonglo Valley, Hoskinstown, and Widgeiwa Rd.

The most interesting sightings this month include:

• a group of up to 19 White-faced Herons on a property in the Hoskinstown Plain;
• several sightings of small flocks (up to 12) White-throated Needletails over Whiskers Creek;   
• a small flock of Rainbow Bee-eaters on Whiskers Creek ( the first for this site); 
• up to 5 New Holland Honeyeaters from a property on Widgiewa Rd.  

Also of note was the return of Eastern Yellow Robins to our property.  We did not record these at all in the first 4 years of our tenure and they then appeared in late 2010, staying around for a year.  After departing in late 2011 they have returned, with the rain, in March 2012.  They are usually thought of as birds of damp forest, on the Coast or on the western side of the Ranges

Only 2 species have been reported as breeding in this month (as shown by bolding in the list below).  Both records were of dependent young, out of the nest and being fed by the adults.   I’d welcome records of any breeding activities seen in the area and, of course, any other records which readers feel interesting..

Migrants are shown in italics below.  The Summer migrants will now be moving off and the birds which leave the high country for the Plains (notably Flame Robins and Golden Whistlers) will be moving in.

1  Waterbirds:   Black Swan;  Australian Shelduck; Australian Wood Duck; Grey Teal; Pacific Black Duck; Australasian Grebe; Darter; Little Black Cormorant; Little Pied Cormorant;  White‑faced Heron; Purple Swamphen; Dusky Moorhen;  Eurasian Coot; Masked Lapwing; 

2 Birds of Prey:  Black-shouldered Kite; Brown Goshawk; Collared Sparrowhawk;Spotted Harrier; Wedge-tailed Eagle; Little Eagle; Nankeen Kestrel; Brown Falcon; Australian Hobby; Black Falcon, Peregrine Falcon.

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: Brown quail; Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon; Tawny Frogmouth; White-throated Needletail; Shining Bronze‑cuckoo; Fan‑tailed Cuckoo; Eastern Barn Owl;Laughing Kookaburra; Rainbow Bee‑eater; 

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

6 Flycatchers and similar species: Rufous Whistler; Grey Shrike-thrush; Grey Fantail; WillieWagtail;Magpie-lark; Scarlet Robin; Flame Robin; Eastern Yellow Robin; Welcome Swallow; Tree Martin

7 Thornbills, Finches and similar species:  Superb Fairy-wren; White-browed Scrubwren; Weebill; Western Gerygone; White-throated Gerygone; 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; Brown Treecreeper; Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike; Dusky Woodswallow;  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;