July 2012 – Birding-Aus

cape york 4WD hire

Peter,

there are a few around, Sargents is one that is reputable, believe they also rent Prados which would be a bit more economical on fuel. Do a Google search for others around Cairns. Then read the _fine print_, normally they have around a $5000-$6000 excess with only a few options to reduce. I would recommend taking out a travel insurance policy that covers the amount of the excess for you (read the_fine print_ again). When I researched recently only American Express and RACV allowed you optionally increase cover to cover the large excess, and they only covered it if it was an excess. They are a lot lot cheaper than buying the cover offered by the rental mobs. Again in the_fine print_, normally underbody damage, damage to the roof and water damage are excluded. Rentals won’t necessarily have a snorkel so you are limited in depth for your river crossings. Rent a diesel if you can, fuel economy is better and less likely to give trouble in river crossings and the fuel is generally more readily available.

regards,

Chris Ross ===============================

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cape york 4WD hire

Hi all,

Could anyone please recommend a 4WD hire company in Cairns that: – is reputable – allows their vehicles to be taken up Cape York – doesn’t charge the world or has ridiculous contract clauses I’ve heard of some horror stories so any recommendations gladly received! Thanks in advance, cheers

Peter * * *—- Peter Waanders Southern Birding Services PO Box 420, Waikerie SA 5330 Australia mob.: +61 (0)409 763172 sat.: +61 (0)424 212889 Email1: waanders.peter@gmail.com Email2: info@sabirding.com SA Birding: www.sabirding.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Southern-Birding-Services/134270499971996 * ===============================

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Barn owl

I saw a small owl-like raptor last night on my back-fence in Fitzroy (George and Westgarth streets). Is it possible that it was a barn owl? Kind regards Suresh Sundram

Associate Professor Suresh Sundram MBBS, MMed, FRANZCP, PhD Mental Health Research Institute Corner Genetics Lane and Royal Parade University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3010 Tel: +613 90356616 Mob: +61 (0)409505822

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Neck-hanging by owls

Some time ago in the Darwin Botanical Gardens I observed a juvenile Rufous Owl hanging by its neck in the fork of a tree. The bird had its toes tucked under its chin, and its wings and body dangling down. It stayed like that for quite a while until I moved on, but was in a more normal posture when I returned perhaps 20 minutes later. I’m interested if this is a known behaviour in owls (I’ve seen an image of something similar in a northern hemisphere owl but can’t remember now where it was), and if so, what its purpose is. Any comments or pointers to mentions of it in the literature would be appreciated. Niven ===============================

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fairy martins

Hi all, the Fairy Martins have returned in force to the Hawkesbury and this is the first time in 35years of recording birds in this area I have recorded them in July. Hoskin, Birds of Sydney 1770-1989 as August as the earliest arrival, any one recorded them in Sydney in July before? the beautiful Hawkesbury 60km N/W of Sydney ===============================

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bird list software

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Big Year Update

Hi Folks

Having recently passed the midway mark of my Big Year, I’ve taken a short break to reacquaint myself with family and workmates, and to write up some (very) informal trip reports on my blog. If you are interested, please check out www.birdingfordevils.com.au . The reports cover a marathon ten-week road-trip through the guts of the inland and all of the Top End from Kimberleys to Cape York. The Jeep clocked up 35,000km – an average 500km per day – with many days extending well beyond the 1,000km mark, maintaining a break-neck pace that began over six months and 671 bird species ago.

Following yesterday’s vomitathon off of Wollongong (I believe I was the only sickie again, but was rewarded with two hard-earned, though common seabird ticks) I have three more days at home, then a ten-day bird-targeted run from home (Gosford) to and from the 5 August Portland Vic pelagic trip. Although I have reasonably good oil on some of the species I’m chasing, I thought I’d ask in this forum for any very recent sightings for any of the following birds. Of course I have the current Birdline listings, so looking for additional sightings. Any help would be appreciated – just email me at jweigel@reptilepark.com.au or ring me on 0414 883 166.

Looking for current locations (anywhere in the southeast really, from Brisbane to Adelaide) for: King Quail Australian Bittern (yeah, right) Superb Parrot (they are apparently on the move…) Scarlet-chested Parrot (hoping they will return to Gluepot soon – I apparently missed them by days back in early April) Lewin’s Rail (where a visual is reasonably possible – I’ve heard these bad-boys taunting from reed-beds all year) Painted Snipe (I was the only member of group of three birders to not see a flushed bird at Lake Argyle a few weeks ago) Crescent Honeyeater Fuscus Honeyeater Painted Honeyeater (yeah, I know)

Because I had two flight cancellations to Melaleuca from Hobart in the summer, I didn’t get OBP. It would therefore be greatly appreciated if anyone who knows of a wintertime hangout in Victoria could help out. I know the secret handshake and will keep all info confidential if desired.

Apart from the southeast, which is really the last honeypot of species for me, along with Lord Howe Island, I only have a few birds left heading across to the southwest at end of September (Nullarbor QT, Western Corella, western ssp of Crested Shrike-tit, the swan), then up the coast to Broome. Elsewhere across the continent it’s getting to be fairly slim pickings. . I’ve decided to blow the rest of my wife’s and my retirement fund and will be visiting Christmas Island / Cocos Keeling, as well as Boigu / Saibai Islands all for the second time this year, in November.

Although Sean has been very encouraging, generous with information and graciously optimistic about what my end of year tally might be, his record 720 (IOC) species remains a very distant goal – believe me, and is very much dependent upon lots of success on boats – for which I have very mixed feelings. I still have the following to ‘look forward to’: six more one-day pelagics planned (four of these will be off Eaglehawk in September – I thought I was going to die out there on the Pauletta last year – I sincerely wanted to), the 8-day Ashmore Reef trip with George Swan and hard-cores in late October, the 8-day Heritage run from Albany to Hobart first week of December, then the piece-de-résistance – 13 Days from Hobart to NZ via Macca, on seas that I really don’t want to even think about.

John Weigel Australian Reptile Park Pacific Hwy, Somersby, NSW. PO Box 737, Gosford, NSW, 2250 ph 02 4340 1022 fax 02 4340 2990 jweigel@reptilepark.com.au www.reptilepark.com.au www.devilark.com.au www.snakeranch.com.au

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Grey Grasswrens and how to boost high frequency hearing

Hi Arwen, Gary and all,

See below for comments from Vicki Powys regarding the SongFinder.

Cheers, Carol

From: vickipowys Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2012 08:00:40 +1000

Hi Carol,

Arwen mentions the SongFinder. I believe it was Lang Elliott, renowned US birder and wildlife sound recordist, who developed the SongFinder initially because he himself had a hearing defect. My understanding is that the SongFinder is an excellent device. By the time one buys a recorder and directional microphone, for the same cost or less you could have the SongFinder, especially useful if you were not interested in recording but more in bird watching. Sounds perfect for Gary.

I see from the SongFinder website that Max Moulds, entomologist and retired cicada expert from Australian Museum, is delighted with his SongFinder, to find those higher-pitched small cicadas. I feel sure it was me who mentioned the SongFinder to Max some years ago when we were corresponding about cicadas and Max mentioned he could no longer hear many of them.

It looks like the SongFinder also allows you to record from it but I don’t know any details of this aspect. If I had lost my high frequency hearing I would certainly get one!

cheers,

Vicki

>From: “Arwen B. Ximenes” >Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2012 22:26:53 +1000 >Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Grey Grasswrens and how to boost high >frequency hearing > >Gary and others, I’m a novice, but my understanding is: some >microphones are more sensitive to sounds directly ahead (and above) >and others have wider pick up fields, and omnis I think pick up >sound equally around the full 360 degrees (on a 3D plane). An >omnidirectional microphone can alert you to the presence of the bird >(which would help if your brother isn’t with you) but a directional >microphone will also help him locate it if you’re not with him, as >the sound simply gets louder if it is pointed towards the bird (and >of course if you move closer to it). To make an omnidirectional mic >directional you can put it in a parabolic reflector (or a wok!) and >wave it around. I haven’t tried this yet, but apparently it works >(not only does it cut out some of the sound coming from the sides >but it should also amplify those sounds in front of you. >Alternatively a directional mic waved around. > >It is interesting birding with a microphone running, and I imagine >in the case mentioned it would be very handy as those higher >frequencies would be amplified, so people with hearing loss in the >upper frequencies might have a chance of hearing them (but after a >while they may not be able to – if they can). However listening with >a mic sounds a bit unnatural, expecially with the handling noise and >footsteps etc. which can be so distracting that I prefer my own ears >most of the time. It is a little disorienting if you are used to >using your ears to locate birds i.e. waving your head around rather >than waving a mic around. Also the danger is if you have louder >noises mixed in (such as a flock of cockatoos screeching as they >take off nearby) you can risk adding noise induced hearing loss to >the age related issue (though this is more likely to affect lower >frequencies)! > >OK, I was just about to post and then I remembered I had seen >something somewhere, a bit of digging and here it is: >an article on hearing loss and bird sounds on Nathan Pieplow’s >Earbirding website: http://earbirding.com/blog/archives/2105 >Which then has a link to a review of a very interesting sounding, >SongFinder: http://earbirding.com/blog/archives/1538 >And here is the link to the SongFinder website for those who want to >go direct: http://www.nselec.com/ > >In a nutshell I think it will play back all the sounds above a set >frequency (input by the user) at a lower frequency (also set by >user), so you can actually hear the sounds you would normally hear >without any distortion, and the sounds you can’t hear would be at a >lower frequency than normal so you can hear them. Withough looking >into it in too much detail it seems a very useful device – though >not cheap. I would be very interested in feedback if anyone goes >down that route. Incidentally the husband of a friend of mine has >developed an app which is supposed to show you what your children >will sound like when they are adults (iGrowUP) – so I wonder then if >there is an app like SongFinder – there’s an app for everything >these days – might not be far away. > >Regards, Arwen >………………………………….. >Arwen Blackwood Ximenes > > >> Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2012 18:09:17 +0930 >> From: gary.wright.email@gmail.com >> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Grey Grasswrens and how to boost high >>frequency hearing >> >> Hi Judith >> >> Thanks for info. I have been assessed as borderline for hearing aids so >> haven’t gone that path. My hearing loss is in the high frequencies. My >> brother is completely deaf in one ear but can hear well out of the other. >> We are like Mac and Myer for hire when we go birdwatching together as he >> can hear the bird but doesn’t know where it is(only one ear hearing) and if >> I could hear it I would know where it was! When you say the recorder is >> directional I assume it wouldn’t help in his case, but only mine? >> >> Gary >>

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Keep Hunters Out of New South Wales Parks

I don’t know how much impact these petitions have, but at least it helps me feel I’m doing something!

I apologise in advance if this contravenes any Birds Aust policy, but I reckon readers and subscribers of this site are the one group of people who should have the opportunity to sign and, judging by the recent threads, there’s a number of people who are opposed to the planned action.

Cheers

Colin

Care2 subscriber since Aug 18, 2010 [1]Unsubscribe | [2]Tell Your Friends | [3]Take Action [actionalerts.gif] you have [4]201 butterfly credits [5]care2 petitionsite actionAlert

Hi Colin, New South Wales is home to thousands of threatened species, such as flying foxes and the Southern brown bandicoot. Protecting these animals ought to be paramount, but now they’re in danger due to the greatest threat of all: human hunters. [6]Tell NSW that these animals don’t deserve to be exposed to this peril! » In a move to gain the Shooters and Fishers Party’s support, the state government struck a deal allowing recreational hunters access to 79 New South Wales nature reserves, national parks, and other conservation areas for pest control purposes. But their promises to supervise hunters don’t hold up. The Shooters party’s website claims that parks will not be closed when they hunt and there won’t be any close supervision by NP staff. So how, exactly, will this prevent hunters from running wild?

Without strict supervision, the resulting chaos caused by this decision could lead to irreversible damage. It endangers both the humans and animals of New South Wales.

[7]Tell Premier Barry O’Farrell to reverse this decision before the law goes into effect 27 December this year. »

[kathleen.jpg] Thanks for taking action! Kathleen ThePetitionSite

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References

Latest Pelagic off Port Fairy 22 July & SIPO on LHI

For those that might be interested, Ian Hutton reports that a SIPO arrived on LHI on 26 July.

And I wish to apologise to the leaders and those on last Sunday’s Port Fairy Pelagic reported below for misidentifying a White-fronted Tern seen on that trip as Common Tern. I viewed the photo through a feverish haze but when the fever subsided realised my error.

Mike Carter 30 Canadian Bay Road Mount Eliza VIC 3930 Tel (03) 9787 7136