Month: September 2013

On several occasions at a particular lagoon at Tatham, near Casino, NSW, I have observed WB Sea Eagles teaching their newly fledged young how to drop and crack turtles. Apart from the state on the turtles who get dropped over and over for the demo, it’s awesome to watch these great birds in action. Never seen a piglet (yet!), but it’s totally plausible. =============================== 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 ===============================

Hi All, Just wanted to let users of Birding-aus know that Birdpedia has released a Shorebird/Wader App for mobile devices. Are you having trouble identifying Shorebirds/Waders? Then this application is for you. This application currently covers all the shorebirds/waders that you are likely to encounter in Australia and its territories. The URL is http://www.birdpedia.com/waders.htm. Unlike some applications that require you to download a massive data file the Birdpedia application is Web based. Consequently you are always viewing the most up to date version. However, as no data is stored on your mobile device an active data connection is required. We hope you find the application useful and appreciate any comments or suggestions you may have. If you have any issues with the text or can supply images that improve on those we have please contact Birdpedia. You will be acknowledged. This application is FREE and includes no advertisements. However, you can show your support for this and future versions by donating using the link in the application or on our main Website (http://www.birdpedia.com/). Regards, Martyn Birdpedia.com PS Don’t forget that you can access the Mobile version of Birdpedia at the following URL: http://www.birdpedia.com/mobile.htm or via the QR Code on the Birdpedia Home page (http://www.birdpedia.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 ===============================

It has been recommended on a previous post not to use 2WD on many of the tracks at the WTP due to them being wet. Some of the tracks advise dry weather only (not that this appears to stop some rising to the challenge) but I think we should avoid using any track which might require 4WD in the wet, sign-posted or not. Also go easy on the other tracks, whether in 2WD or 4WD as they do cut up and eventually require regrading. This obviously adds to the cost of managing the plant and some day someone might suggest an easy way of reducing costs – “ban those pesky birders and their churning 4WDs…..” Besides which, you see much more travelling slowly. Mark Stanley =============================== 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 ===============================

Hi All, Just wanted to let users of Birding-aus know that a Birding Guides Feature has been added to Birdpedia. Hearing that BirdingPal is now charging users for certain types of access I thought adding such a feature to Birdpedia might be useful. Members can now indicate if they are offering their services as a Birding Guide. Simply Login, go to your Personal page, and look for the ‘My Birding Guide Details’ link and complete the requested information. Each guide is Country specific so if you feel comfortable acting as a guide in several countries you will need to set up your details in each. We have decided to allow members that do guiding in a commercial manner to also advertise themselves. These professional guides will be indicated so users can filter them out if they wish. It is assumed that non-professional guides will not be paid for their services, but perhaps may expect offers to partially pay towards fuel costs, etc. Initial contact is by email only. Your email address will not be disclosed to the user of the service as emails are sent via our internal messaging service. This is a FREE service so please make the most of it and do not abuse it. You can access a list of registered Birding Guides using the link in the left menu (‘Birding Guides List’). To register yourself on Birdpedia (registration is FREE) go to www.birdpedia.com and select your Country of interest from the dropdown or enter the ISO Country Code (AU for Australia) in the box at the top left. Registration gives you complete access to all Countries that Birdpedia covers (currently more than 230). As always any comments or suggestions for inclusion of new features are always welcome. Regards, Martyn Birdpedia.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 ===============================

Hi, we are Central Qld birders and will be doing our first South Australian birding trip from October 10 to November 15. Will anyone be doing trips to the saltworks or other wader sites that we could join? We will spend a few days around Adelaide, then Gluepot, Flinders Ranges, and Eyre Peninsula. We may be able to visit wader sites betwen these, or before flying home. Thanks, Bob Black and Lorelle Campbell (r.black@skymesh.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 ===============================

30th September 2013, BTSA PELAGIC TRIP, MASLINS BEACH, SA, AUSTRALIA. Report prepared by: S. P. Potter. Departed: 06.42 returned at approx. 08.00. Sea conditions: calm at first then NE 0.5m. Swell: SW 2m offshore. Weather: cloudy. Temperature range: 15°C. Barometric pressure: 1001 HPa steady. Wind: Calm to 20 knots NE by mid morning. Sea surface temperature: 16°C. Primary chumming location: 35° 14′ 49″S : 138° 27′ 37″E. Summary: After my Gluepot client pulled out – after all they are only Scarlet-chested Parrots…. I decided on an early impromptu Maslins Beach Pelagic After donning full wet weather gear, I paddled (Surfboard) for approximately 3 mins due WSW to 0.07Nm offshore at 0.8 fathoms There was no other persons the entire duration. Birds were plentiful on the way out with frequent passes by both Black-faced and Pied Cormorant. The first marker point at 400m SSW from Gull Rock, greeted me with small but fun 2ft waves at regular intervals. Highlights: Eastern Osprey flying over repeatedly looking for fish. 1 Hooded Plover flew out to sea then returned 20 mins later? I have never seen that before. Birds recorded: Species name: Numbers: Pied Cormorrant 20+ Black-faced Cormaorant 20+ Eastern Osprey 1 Hooded Plover 1 Sliver Gull 30+ Created Tern 6 5 species of seabird identified offshore Mammals None Reptiles None Great White Shark None Future Trips All Pelagic Trips from Maslins Beach operate irregularly. Contact Steve Potter for details – 0407398234 Steve Potter Bird Tours SA p: (+61) 0407398234 e: steve@birdtourssa.com w: www.birdtourssa.com facebook: www.facebook.com/birdtourssa blog: http://steve-potter.blogspot.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 ===============================

Hi all,   To add to the recent reports of Oriental Plovers in Qld and NSW, one seems to have turned up in New Zealand.   See http://www.birdingnz.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2947   I understand that it is a very rare bird on that side of the ditch.   Mick =============================== 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 ===============================

Hi All, There are still a few berths remaining on the pelagic trip out of Eaglehawk Neck on Oct 12. If you’re interested in one or more, please let me know ASAP. Regards, Paul Brooks =============================== 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 ===============================

As an aside, an Oriental Plover was on the helicopter pad when we landed at Mitchell Plateau with Klaus Uhlenhut very early last Friday. I am pleased to say we saw a family of 5 Black Grasswrens at 6:35am that same day. Before our departure the Oriental Plover moved to the shade under our helicopter, where it stayed windblown and dusty, during our take-off mid-morning. Judy =============================== 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 ===============================

Greetings all, I’ve just returned from a week at Strathburn Cattle Station which lies 120 kms north west of Musgrave Station on Cape York. The birding was fascinating but the following story from two locals who verified the tale to me independently got me thinking. The two station hands were having a break by a very large swamp which is about 6 kms around its perimeter. It was April this year just after the wet season. They noticed a White-bellied Sea-eagle carrying something as it was flying across the swamp. It dropped its bundle from a height of about 150 meters and flew on. A few minutes later both men were stunned when a tiny piglet swam ashore and raced under their vehicle, screaming in terror. They caught the piglet and noted talon marks on its body. The Sea-eagle came back and circled the centre of the swamp seemingly searching for something. It was an interesting yarn and I’m sure the two observers weren’t just having me on. My question is, is this typical Sea-eagle behavior? I’d be interested if anyone else has heard of similar observations. regards, Gary Oliver =============================== 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 ===============================