Month: May 2011

Hi all, I spent a lot of time at Hirds swamp in the early 2000’s when environmental flows were used to fill it, and the nest certainly looks like the White-bellied Sea-eagle’s nest that was well used in that time.

The swamp has been dry for a number of years, but this year it filled from natural flooding…. a remarkable event considering the adjacent Pyramid creek has been dredged to a depth of a number of metres. This summer’s flood was so huge that the Pyramid creek levels were high enough to flood the swamp over a number of weeks.

After the environmental flooding that took place over a number of years ( 2001? to 2005?) the vegetation in the swamp undertook a massive change. The lignum tripled in size and filled in a lot of gaps. Cumbungi and phragmites spread, covering much of the open water, and a variety of grasses and herbs have grown in the intervening claypans, creating a dense cover of vegetation, where before there was very little. It has made birding at the swamp much more challenging. I imagine there must be a whole host of birds utilising the area, but how to get in and see them??

As an aside, a recent night-time survey on native grasslands in the Terrick Terrick region, was interesting for the change it showed from this summer’s results. 50 or 60 plus Stubble Quail were flushed, so they have definately hung around, along with a number of Pipits, Brown Songlarks and a few Singing Bushalrk. However Button-quail have all but left, after the huge numbers present this summer. And no Plains Wanderers were seen with the grass swathe being too overgrown for them. A surprise was an Owlet-Nightjar seen in grasland some 300 metres from the nearest tree.

Cheers, Simon Starr.

===============================

To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au

http://birding-aus.org ===============================

A view form Wales:

I think this might be a bit of over dramatisation.

In particular LNG terminals can be quite unobtrusive – we have one here in the Pembrokeshire National Park in the Milford Haven Waterway (all protected and environmentally sensitive) and while there are a number of valid objections to it on safety grounds etc now it is up and running it is on balance much cleaner and less of a pollution risk than oil jetties and refineries. (We have first hand experience here of the latter with the Sea Empress disaster) There also may not be “thousands” of ships – each ship carries an awful lot of LNG. And while the installation of the pipeline caused some disruption, now you would not know it was there.

However I have to agree that I would hate to see Broome turned into yet another mining town – apart form anything else, the area is an important tourism resource which would be completely lost if its character changed.

Rosemary

Wales

see http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/opinion/editorial/general/goodbye-to-broome-time/2178607.aspx

I’m not sure what it would do to Roebuck Bay, but the dynamics of visiting Broome would certainly change.

===============================

To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au

http://birding-aus.org ===============================

Last weekend, rescuers at two wetlands found 46 more dead birds. That’s 37 game species, shot and left behind, and nine protected species.This includes a large cygnet, the tenth swan found this season on patrols of only 3-4 wetlands. A photo album can be viewed here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150258879633125.373312.638123124&l=834304ae6f Thank goodness we’re only two weekends away from the end of the season.For those interested, this was a media event (that no media attended) outside the HQ of the DSE in East Melbourne. We photograph and count the birds and cross-check them with a wildlife officer.Then the wildlife officer takes all the birds away for examination at Atwood.They’re tested for avian influenza, among other things. Duck rescuers run a metal detector over all birds. Here are the species totals: 24 Hardhead7 Pacific Black Duck4 Grey Teal1 Wood Duck1 Blue-winged Shoveler Protected species: 2 Dusky Moorhen4 Eurasian Coot1 Great Crested Grebe1 Galah1 large cygnet Even though it’s his job to expedite hunting for duck shooters, the wildlife officer had some opinions he shared. ‘What was acceptable 20 years ago is no longer (OK)’.’I’m coming around to your way of thinking’ (ie against shooting).(Looking at a Hardhead): ‘They’re beautiful birds. It’s a waste on two fronts. Killing it in the first place and then leaving it.”I struggle with the idea of shooting what you won’t eat.’ ===============================

To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au

http://birding-aus.org ===============================

Just to let everyone know that things are progressing.

We finally agreed the Scope of Works for repairs to the house yesterday – it took a long time getting to this point, but now work can start!

They tell me that we could be back in occupation at Abberton in September or October. Fingers crossed!

Meanwhile, this otherwise disjointed life in temporary accommodation in Helidon isn’t so very bad for a birder. We’ve got a daily Square-tailed Kite who has been hunting over local gardens for the last few weeks, a Collared Sparrowhawk sitting in our backyard the other day, and on 1st May an amazing group of at least 15 Pacific Bazas circling directly over the house!

Not unusual to see family parties of four or even five now and then around the escarpment, but I have to repeat it – 15 Bazas counted, possibly more!

Bill Jolly ===============================

To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au

http://birding-aus.org ===============================

Folks

The Autumn records for “Beyond Toowoomba” are at:

http://www.toowoombabirdobservers.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2327

Those for local Toowoomba study area are at :

http://www.toowoombabirdobservers.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2352

If you can fill in some gaps please shoot them through. Alternatively, email me to register so you can post directly.

Finally, thanks to those already supporting these seasonal listings. I encourage others to join in the challenge.

Winter kicks off tomorrow!

Cheers Mick Toowoomba Bird Observers Forum Administrator

===============================

To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au

http://birding-aus.org ===============================

Is Geoff Brown listening? Or does someone have Geoff’s email address please?

I’m trying to get in touch.

Thank you. Jonny

Jonny Schoenjahn Perth WA jonnybird@bigpond.com

===============================

To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au

http://birding-aus.org ===============================

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150189990441364&set=a.10150189990196364.304203.306316356363&type=1&ref=nf Does anyone know what sort of nest this is? ===============================

To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au

http://birding-aus.org ===============================

Does anyone know where it’s possible to borrow class sets of binoculars? A WTP tour is planned for the duck rescue people, who’ve spent the last three months looking at dead or dying birds. Around 20 binos might be about right.Anyone with ideas, please get in touch via email. Thanks. ===============================

To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au

http://birding-aus.org ===============================

G’day avian interested persons

Fork-tailed Swift (Apus pacificus ) Report for 2010/11 Season. [Summary of 152 sightings sent to me or published where I could find them]

This seasons reports are 17 fewer than last years. The first sightings were from WA this year. George Swann saw 2 on 17th Sep and Clive Minton also saw 2 the next day. Both sightings were at Broome, where a few days later Grant & Clare Morton saw 4.

The first report from Qld was of 20 birds at Karumba observed by Dominic Chaplin on 30th Sep. These dates and numbers reflect previous years with few birds being seen on or near Ashmore Reef and more birds turning up in Qld, but no one seeing them come in.

The first NT record was made by Nick Leseberg at Timber Creek Airfield, followed by some at Daly River, seen by Michael Braby, & at Wickham Point, seen by Sheryl Keates.

The first NSW record was from Katoomba by a friend of Carol Probet

The first Vic report was of just one bird seen at Melbourne’s Western Treatment Plant by Dave Torr.

The first NSW sighting was of 300+ birds seen at Catherine Hill Bay on 21 Nov by Martin Cachard & Garry Deering.

The first SA report was of 50 birds seen by Michaela Doecke on 7th March

Once again I have no reports from ACT or Tas. for last season.

On 26 occasions the FTS were with other species, mostly WTNT or swiftlets.

The 3rd last sighting I have was on 20 April when Nick Hill saw ?+ at the Eyre Bird Observatory. The 2nd latest was of 40+ birds at the Eyre Bird Observatory seen 27 April by Nick Hill. The latest sighting was of 20 birds in Darwin seen by Marc Gardner.

The largest group reported was of just 400 birds at Cungulla Beachside (Qld), seen by Len & Chris Ezzy. This is well below the largest group of 1800 birds seen last year. Greg Bortolussi saw the next largest group of 300+ on the Cook Hwy, Nth Qld.

Of the 152 sightings I know of, 74 were made in Qld (up 38 on last year), 29 in WA.(up 6). 18 in the NT (down 11), 17 in NSW (down 41), 9 in Vic (down 3), 5 in SA (down 7), 0 in ACT and 0 in Tas.

Keith & Lindsay Fisher made 12 observations, closely followed by Rod Gardner with 11.

I thank all these contributors: ARMSTRONG, Chris(2), ASHTON, Tony(2), BAKER, Scott(1), BARTH, Mike (1), BINNS, (D), BORTOLUSSI, Greg(3), BOYLE, Adrian(1), BRABY, Michael (1), BRANDWOOD, Keith(1), BRUCE, Niel(4), CACHARD, Martin(1), CANTON, Alexander(1), CHAPLIN, Dominic(1), CURSTON, Clive(6), DOECKE, Michaela (1), DRISCOLL, Colin(1), EASTWOOD, Chris(1), EZZY, Len & Chris(4), FERGUSON, Meryl(1), FISHER, Keith & Lindsay(12), GARDNER, Rod(11), GILLER, Roger(1), GREGORY, Phil(3), HAAS, Nicolas(1), HADDEN, Don(1), HAVENS, Maria (2), HERRINGTON, Doug(1), HOUGHTON, Dave(6), HUTCHISON, John(1), JAMES, David(3), JENKINS, Dick(2), JERRAM, Mick(1), JONES, David(1), Jude(1), KEATES, Sheryl & Arthur(2), KOSKELA, J(1), KYNE, Peter & Micha(4), LESEBERG, Nick(1), MAHER, Philip(1), MINTON, Clive (1), MORTON, Grant & Clare(1), MULVOGUE, Colin(1), NEALON, Clive(5), O’DONNELL, Kath(2), PALLISER, Tony(1), PEARSON, John(1), PIERCE, Ed (3), PRESTON, Ivor(1), PRESTON, Lisa(1), PROBET, Carol(1), RAMSEY, Michael(2), RANDAL, Paul(1), RAWSTHORNE, John(2), RAY, Mia(1), ROSSITER, Jill(1), RUSSELL, Tony(2), RUTHERFORD, Bill(1), SHRADER, Neville(1), SHURCLIFFE, Kath(6), SMITH, Edward(1), SMITH, Ross(1), STEWART, Al(1), SWANN, George(1), TILLER, Margaret(2), TORR, Dave(1), VALENTINE, Peter(3), VENABLES, Brian(1), VINICOME, Matthew(1), WEBB, Dave(1), WILSON, Tom(3).

Please remember to send me (preferably directly (ie off-list) all your FTS & WTNT observations with estimated number of birds and any interesting behaviour and weather data.

Cheers & thanks

Mike =================== Michael Tarburton tarburton.m@optusnet.com.au ===================

===============================

To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au

http://birding-aus.org ===============================