July 2013

If you typed in the address from the Gazette you will have ended up on this page,  This link takes you to the August Report.

This month has been a bit thin on the ground.   Only 63 species were reported in the month of July, the first time we have been below 70 species for 5 years.

To some extent this reflects the absence of observers - even I was away for the second half of the month.  However, a report to COG has also noted the paucity of birds in July.

The most interesting sighting in our area was two White-bellied Sea-Eagles flying over the Hoskinstown Plain, from the direction of the village heading Northwards. There have been 2 reports of Peregrine Falcons.  One from Widgiewa Rd (in hot pursuit of some unidentified prey) and the Hoskinstown Plain (looking for a straggler from a flock of 100+ Galahs)  Other notable sightings include a Barn Owl (heard on the Hoskinstown Plain early in the month; a flock of 120+ Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos flying from Whiskers Creek towards the Taliesin Hills; and an amazing number (at least 15) of Flame Robins feeding along a fence line on the Plain.

Thanks to observers in Widgiewa Rd, and the Hoskinstown Plain for reports.

In Canberra the early breeders are already building their nests so readers should keep their eyes open for such activities.  Certainly the Skylarks are making a lot of song on the Plain and I am expecting 'our' pair of Tawny Frogmouths to start building their nest any time from now.

Please let me know if you see evidence of breeding, or other interesting birding sightings, by email to martinflab@gmail.com.  I'd stress that observations of what you think of as 'ordinary birds' because they are common on your patch can be very useful particularly when observers are few - there are several common species that were not reported this month.

Species seen this month.

1  Waterbirds:  Australian Shelduck; Australian Wood Duck;  Grey Teal; Pacific Black Duck; Australasian Grebe;  Little Pied Cormorant; White‑faced Heron;  Masked Lapwing.

2 Birds of Prey:  White-bellied Sea-eagle;Wedge-tailed Eagle; Little Eagle; Nankeen Kestrel;Brown 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:  Crested Pigeon; Tawny Frogmouth; Eastern Barn Owl; Laughing Kookaburra

5 Honeyeaters: Eastern Spinebill;  White-eared Honeyeater; Noisy Miner; Red Wattlebird; New Holland Honeyeater.

6 Flycatchers and similar species: Golden Whistler; Grey Shrike-thrush;  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;  Double‑barred Finch; Red‑browed Finch; Diamond Firetail; House Sparrow; European Goldfinch

8 Other, smaller birds:  White-throated Treecreeper;  Skylark; Golden-headed Cisticola; Common Blackbird; Common Starling; Australasian  Pipit;

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

June 2013

I'll start this month by thanking John Bisset of Widgiewa Rd for his contribution to these records over the past several years.  He has now moved to Victoria and will be missed.

The most exciting sighting was a White-bellied Sea Eagle lifting off from a kangaroo on Wanna‑wanna Rd.  It was subsequently seen at another nearby property.

Late one evening I heard what I interpreted as a "mad-woman scream” call (or possibly two birds doing so).  This is usually associated with Barking Owls, but on listening to my collection of bird calls, the best match was Eastern Barn Owl.  They seem to be back in the area.  It is possibly not a coincidence that mice also seem to have returned!

Finally, on a stroll around a property on the HoskinstownPlain a flock of 7 Flame Robins – 3 of them males in full glory – were seen.  I have also seen good numbers of them along the road to Foxlow Bridge.   As the birds are rated as threatened in NSW it is good that our area supports quite a few of them.

As is usually the case June has shown a drop (4 species) , compared to May, in the number of species seen in the area.  This year that is probably influenced by weather which is not conducive to birding but mainly by the absence - in some cases permanent - of some regular contributors.  Thank you to those who have stepped up more than usually, to report their sightings (which are of course always welcome).

In total we have recorded 78 species for the month, 1 down on last June but adequately up on the four year average of 74.75. 

Thanks to contributors in Wanna Wanna,  Radcliffe, Widgeiewa Rd and Hoskinstown for their reports

1  Waterbirds:  Australian Wood Duck; Grey Teal;  Pacific Black Duck; Hardhead;Australasian Grebe; Hoary-headed Grebe; Little Pied Cormorant; White‑faced Heron;  Glossy Ibis; Australian White Ibis; Straw-necked Ibis;  Eurasian Coot; Masked Lapwing; Banded Lapwing

2 Birds of Prey:  Black-shouldered Kite; White-bellied Sea-eagle; Brown Goshawk; Wedge-tailed Eagle; Nankeen Kestrel; Brown 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: 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; Noisy Miner; Red Wattlebird; New Holland Honeyeater; Brown‑headed Honeyeater

6 Flycatchers and similar species: Golden Whistler; Grey Shrike-thrush; Grey Fantail; WillieWagtail; Magpie-lark; Scarlet Robin; Flame 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; Spotted Pardalote; Striated Pardalote; Silvereye; Double‑barred Finch; Red‑browed Finch; Diamond Firetail; House Sparrow; European Goldfinch

8 Other, smaller birds:  White-throated Treecreeper; Golden-headed Cisticola; 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

I have also put some birdbath images on my home blog.

I try to avoid promoting commercial thingies on my blogs but some of you may not have heard of the latest book by Ian Fraser (with Jeannie Gray) on Australian Bird Names.  It explains how the names arose and what they mean (both common names and the Latin).  A good read!

May 2013

I will start this post by acknowledging the contribution to these records by Kim McKenzie of Hoskinstown, who died on 17 May as a result of illness.  He added a number of very exciting records to the database and will be missed for this, and many other reasons.   A few of his excellent - what a weak word to describe his images - photographs are on another page.  The sincere sympathy of the birding group goes  to Sophie, Huxley and Pipit.

As is usually the case May has shown a large drop, compared to April, in the number of species seen in the area.  As well as the usual flight of migrants from the area (no bugs nor nectar to eat, they head North), the area has had at least 10 months of below average rainfall so there is little to keep many of the residents around either.

{updated}In total we have recorded 82 species for the month, slightly up on the four year average of 80.5. {updated}

What I have noticed is that the birds that are evident are appearing in larger flocks.  We normally get groups of 4 – 5 Crimson Rosellas and over the last month these have increased to 8-10 birds.  Similarly with Superb Fairy Wrens: when they appear picking over the lawn there are typically 6 -10 in the group.

The most interesting reports I have received (and in some cases these have been from just outside the Gazette catchment area) have been of night-flying birds coming to houses to dine on the swifts fluttering against the illuminated windows.  One of ‘our’ resident Tawny Frogmouths has done a “flit and grab raid” on a couple of occasions and other observers have reported Southern Boobook and Australian Owlet-nightjar behaving in a similar fashion.

The least common bird seen in the month was a Jacky Winter reported from Forbes Creek (only the second record in the area).  A Common Mynah has unfortunately stuck its nose beak out in Hoskinstown.

Thanks to contributors from Widgiewa Rd and Hosknstown.

As always I am very happy to receive your observations by email to martinflab@gmail.com.

1  Waterbirds:  Musk Duck; Australian Wood Duck; Australian Shoveler; Grey Teal; Pacific Black Duck; Hardhead; Australasian Grebe; Hoary-headed Grebe; Little Pied Cormorant; White‑necked Heron; White‑faced Heron; Nankeen Night Heron; Glossy Ibis; Australian White Ibis; Eurasian Coot;Masked Lapwing;

2 Birds of Prey:  Black-shouldered Kite;  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.
 

4 Kingfishers and other non-songbirds: Brown quail; Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon; Tawny Frogmouth; Australian Owlet-nightjar;  Southern Boobook; Laughing Kookaburra.

5 Honeyeaters: Eastern Spinebill; White-eared Honeyeater; White‑plumed Honeyeater; Noisy Miner; Red Wattlebird; New Holland Honeyeater; Brown‑headed Honeyeater.

6 Flycatchers and similar species: Golden Whistler; Grey Shrike-thrush; Grey Fantail; WillieWagtail;  Magpie-lark; Jacky Winter; Scarlet Robin; Flame Robin; Welcome Swallow.

7 Thornbills, Finches and similar species:  Superb Fairy-wren; White-browed Scrubwren; Speckled warbler; Weebill; Striated Thornbill; Yellow‑rumped Thornbill; Buff‑rumped Thornbill; Brown Thornbill; Southern Whiteface; Spotted Pardalote; Striated Pardalote; Silvereye; Red‑browed Finch; Diamond Firetail; House Sparrow; European Goldfinch

8 Other, smaller birds:  White-throated Treecreeper; Varied Sitella; Dusky Woodswallow; Common Blackbird; Common Myna; Common Starling; Mistletoebird

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

Vale Kim Mackenzie

Kim has gone, far too soon.  As a small tribute here are a few of the images he has sent over the past 4 years.

Superb Parrot (from his block) - a range extension

Plumed Whistling Duck from Bungendore.

Australian Shelduck .- from the Plain

At the celebration of Kim's life on 2 June mention was made of his great hand/eye coordination.  If proof were needed of that, those two images of ducks in flight fill the bill.

A great guy and always happy to share the results of his skill with others.  He will be missed.

April 2013

This month we have recorded 91 species, down from 105 in March 2013 and 2 less than the soggy March 2012.  (An update has increased that to 92, which I do not feel significant enough to revise the analysis which  follows.) It would certainly seem that the dry weather is having an effect: apart from my own analysis of the weather, the Waterwatchers of the Molonglo Catchment group have commented that they have recorded 10 months in a row of below average rainfall.

The comparison of April 2012 and April 2013 is quite interesting in that it shows that the difference of 2 species is very much a net figure with about 30% of the species only being recorded in one year.

Of the 34 species seen in only one month I regard

• 10 as unusual (thus expected to be 'patchy' in occurence); 
• 8 as waterbirds (evenly split between years);
• 5 as migrants (4 missing in 2013  - left early?  harbingers of a cold Winter or just going somewhere wetter with more bugs?);and 
• 4 are raptors (3 missing in 2013 -has the dry weather reduced the amount of prey?); leaving
• 7 evenly split between the years, none of which are very common and evenly split between years.

Having started to obsess about that I decided to repeat the exercise comparing March and April 2013.

7 of the 19 missing species from April are migrants (so no surprise); and
8 are relatively rarely reported (no surprise again) and
4 are just 'missing'!

The 5 not reported in March were all more or less unusual birds although Shelduck have been regular on the Plain recently.

Thanks to observers from  Widgiewa Rd, Hoskinstown Plain and Village, Wanna Wanna Rd,  Radcliffe generally and Nummerak Close.

The only breeding record this month was a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo exploring a nesting hollow.

1  Waterbirds:  Musk Duck; Black Swan;  Australian Shelduck; Australian Wood Duck; Australian Shoveler; Grey Teal; Pacific Black Duck; Hardhead;Australasian Grebe; Hoary-headed Grebe; Little Black Cormorant; Little Pied Cormorant; White‑necked Heron; White‑faced Heron;  Australian White Ibis;  Royal Spoonbill;  Eurasian Coot;  Black‑fronted Dotterel; Masked Lapwing; 

2 Birds of Prey:  Black-shouldered Kite; Collared Sparrowhawk; Wedge-tailed Eagle; Little Eagle; Nankeen Kestrel; Brown 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: Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon; Tawny Frogmouth; Australian Owlet-nightjar; Southern Boobook; Eastern Barn Owl; Laughing Kookaburra; 

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

6 Flycatchers and similar species: Golden Whistler;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; 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; Spotted  Quail-thrush; Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike; Dusky Woodswallow; Skylark; Common Blackbird; Common Starling; Mistletoebird; Golden-headed Cisticola, Australasian  Pipit;

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

Some Images from Radcliffe Estate

Over the past couple of years we have recorded occasional sightings in the Widgiewa area of New Holland Honeyeaters dining on Banksias or Kniphofias.  However I was recently sent a video which included an sequence of several birds of this species enjoying a bird bath in Radcliffe.  The following images are screen grabs from that video, taken by Jeannie Imrie & Michael Wilkes.

The bird bath was also popular with a good sized flock of Red-browed Finches ...

... sometimes sharing with Silvereyes.

The area around this property is a favourite haunt of Cunningham's Skinks (OK, I know they aren't birds but are descended from dinosaurs and lay eggs).

Jeannie and Michael have subsequently sent me some additional images of which a selection, from various time periods, follow.

A Satin Bowerbird has visited in the past.  Trying to put demographics to this species is tricky but my guess is a young male bird (throat too colourful for a female and bill too dark for a 5 or 6 year old male).

White-winged Choughs often seem to crowd on one side of a birdbath (in my experience occasionally leading to a fallen bath).  This lot seem to have kept their balance.

A Grey-Shrike-thrush in a pot.  Jeannie commented that they nest "every year in the geranium pots hanging on the walls. This year they only managed the one brood, but last year they had two batches."

Wedge-tailed eagles don't fit in birdbaths or flower pots!

Small-birds-R-Us

We have had a bird bath for some time, and it took about a year for the birds to start frequenting it.   They now do so regularly and get snapped when they hang around long enough for me to fire up my camera.

Today a flock of Superb Blue Wrens did the honours and I thought the images good enough to use a few of your electrons.  The original title of the post referred to them.

Shortly afterwards a flock of Red-browed Finches (aka Red-browed Firetails) also appeared for a splash and a slurp.  So the title was changed.

Then a horde of Silvereyes descended on the sunroom bed so the title changed again!  These are very active little birds so it was difficult to get good images (possibly I need to keep trying).