It's all about the birds
Environmental Health News has been running a series titled Winged Warnings. The latest (15th) item looks at the fortunes of a long-distance migrator … see: http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/2014/aug/wingedwarnings14perilousvoyage
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Hey everyone, I saw a couple of cisticolas along the Bajool – Port Alma Rd that I thought were quite interesting… After doing some more research I’m now fairly sure they were Zitting Cisticolas. I posted some photos I took of one bird, a summary of my notes at the time and then my rationale for thinking they were ZC (based on call and certain plumage characteristics mentioned in HANZAB) on Feathers and Photos – see: http://www.feathersandphotos.com.au/forum/showthread.php?32628-Cisticola-near-Marmor-Qld-Port-Alma-Rd If you have experience with this species I’d be interested to hear what you have to say! Cheers, elliot
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I was searching for Turquoise Parrots a few days at Nangar National Park near Eugowra NSW when out of nowhere a tightly formed flock of brilliant green parrots whipped accross the sparsely treed field I was in. They made no noise whatsoever. I noted pointed tails and green bodies but that was it. DEFINITELY not budgies. I saw the same flock later. Again tightly formed about 24 birds and shooting over a field at the forest edge not pausing to land. These birds did not strike me as musk lorikeets. I have filmed Swifties in Tassie but this flock never offered much of a view. Could I have possibly seen Swift Parrot this late in Nangar? Thanks Don
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Just an update to let everyone know that the Swifties have been here at Muckleford Vic since 23/6/2014 and still small numbers here today. They have preferred to feed on lerp in River Red Gums even though there has been a late mass flowering of Yellow Gum in the area.
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I don’t know of a directory for all events, but BirdLife Australia has the capacity to list all events organised by their branches. I am involved in BirdLife Western Australia, and I admit that we don’t make full use of this facility. It has our regular excursions and monthly meetings listed, but we have many other events organised by our Community Education Committee, Great Western Woodlands surveys, shorebird counts, Rottnest surveys, other surveys, etc. The National Bird Week is the last full week in October each year (Monday to Sunday). This year it is October 20th to 26th. Many BA branches are organising events, and nationally the Aussie Backyard Bird Count is being launched and this will become an annual event as part of NBW. I encourage everyone to participate in this, but more importantly the aim is to attract many members of the general public, and so it is more important if you can promote this event at any opportunity. BirdLife Western Australia is planning an open day at our office at Bold Park in Floreat on Sunday 19th October to launch the week, and to promote our activities with walks,talks (cockatoos, Western Ground Parrot, GWW, Wonder of Birds) and a sausage sizzle is planned. There is a public walk at Herdsman Lake on Saturday 25th. The CEC has an event on the Friday. As part of the Rio Tinto Birdwatch event in the Pilbara, we will be promoting NBW and the ABBC. Our country branches are planning walks for the public. _________________________________________________________________ Frank O’Connor Birding WA http://birdingwa.iinet.net.au Phone : (08) 9386 5694 Email : foconnor@iinet.net.au
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Birdline Western Australia Published sightings for the week ending 28 Sep 2014. Sat 27 Sep Terek Sandpiper Port Gregory Single bird in the small lake next to the road into Port Gregory. Bright orange legs and log upturned beak very distinctive. Photographs taken to confirm ID. Ross Jones Thu 25 Sep Gouldian Finch Wyndham Hospital After searching quite a few sites around Wyndham this morning managed to locate a flock of well over 50+ Gouldians coming in to drink from a puddle on the footpath near the Hospital Greg and Janice McKay Mon 22 Sep Green-headed Yellow Wagtail Cocos Keeling Islands This bird was with a group of 4 Eastern Yellow Wagtails at the Quarry on West Island. They have been around for the last 4 days. Pam Jones Geof Christie
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Birdline Victoria Published sightings for the week ending 28 Sep 2014. Sun 28 Sep White-winged chough Ford Park, Bellfield I first saw this single bird at this site on wednesday the 24th. I am surprised it is still there. It seems reasonably relaxed, allowing approach to about 10 metres. As can be seen from the photo it is a bit tatty. I wonder where it has come from. Ruth Minifie. Sat 27 Sep Painted Honeyeater Warby-Ovens National Park–Killawarra Forest At least one pair near waterhole past entrance in SE cnr of park -36.23186, 146.22687 Tom Tarrant, Brett Lane Fri 26 Sep Yellow Tufted Honeyeater, Swift Parrot Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park–Cyanide Dam At least two Yellow Tufted Honeyeaters present, chasing Red Wattlebird near Cyanide Dam. Two Swift Parrots landed in a nearby tree – amidst an Olive Backed Oriole and several Noisy Friarbirds. Andrew Williams Rainbow Bee-eater Indigo Valley Quite early for this neck of the woods. Visiting friends just south of the national park adjacent to the Chiltern Yackandandah Road when a single bird flew over head. Matt Weeks Beach Stone-Curlew Screw Creek, Inverloch, Victoria The Beach Stone-Curlew is still present at the Screw Creek outlet in Inverloch. Seen this morning from 7:15am at low tide. Andrew Allen Swift Parrots Sunbury Five birds seen flying between flowering Yellow Gums in the Kismet Estate (off Aldridge Drive) area. Also observed foraging on flowers of the gums. Low numbers have been present throughout the winter months. Gerard O’Neill Thu 25 Sep Rufous Whistler, Baillons Crake Western Treatment Plant (Werribee) Single male at Borrow Pits – not a bird I have seen very often at the WTP since the closure of Farm Rd. Also 2 Baillon’s Crake at T-Section pond 4. Dave Torr, Christine Shelley, Bruce and Judy from USA Lathams Snipe,Lewins Rail and Australian Spotted Crake Liverpool rd Retarding Basin Kilsyth Sth Observed 2 Lathams Snipe identified rail and Crake from calls.Also observed White Necked Heron stand motionless for 10 mins before striking out and catching very large frog Des Palmer Tue 23 Sep Black-faced Woodswallow Point Danger Fiona Parkin and I had a single Black-faced Woodswallow hawking insects at Point Danger, Portland. This to my knowledge is a first for the Portland District. Cape Gannet was also present in the gannetry and White-bellied Sea Eagle over Lawrence Rocks. Robert Farnes Mon 22 Sep Turquoise Parrot, Painted Honeyeater, Rose Robin, Speckled Warbler Chiltern National Park Quite a few Turquoise Parrots throughout the Park. A calling Painted Honeyeater and a female Rose Robin, both initially pointed out by Rob Drummond, along with a pair of Speckled Warblers were at Bartley’s Block. Chris and Rosemary Lester Banded Stilt (12), Brolga (2), Pink-eared Duck (60) Green Hill Lake Highlights were 12 Banded Stilts, about 60 Pink-eared Ducks, and 2 Brolgas. Also Red-necked Avocets, Sharp-tailed Sandpipers (possibly a couple of Pectorals-will need to confirm), Red-kneed, Red-capped and Black-fronted Dotterels. Tristan Kennedy Sun 21 Sep Square-tailed Kite Private block, Clunes Four of us were held enraptured by fantastic views of a low, soaring Square-tailed Kite which landed several times in a large gum on the perimeter of the property. Hopefully scoping nesting sites! This was the first time seen here however we have seen one at distance near Dunach. Michael Gooch Powerful Owl, Crested Bellbird, Spot. Quail-thrush, Square-tail Kite, Diamond Firetail, 5 Cuckoo sp. Newstead area and Muckleford State Forest Wonderful box-ironbark Spring birding over the course of the weekend around Newstead visiting several sites including Muckleford SF and Rise & Shine Bushland Reserve. Highlights include Powerful Owl family of 2 adults and 2 young beside the Loddon, Crested Bellbird in MSF, Spotted Quail-thrush on Plunketts Rd, 2 Square-tailed Kite at nest in MSF, Diamond Firetail at Rise & Shine BR. Black-eared Cuckoo heard along Plunketts Rd and seen at Rise & Shine BR. Cuckoos (Pallid, Horsfield’s, Shining and Fan-tailed) heard and/or seen at most spots, all 5 in a short period on Plunketts Rd. Australian Owlet-Nightjar seen in MSF. Jackson Airey and members of the RFNC Inc. Spring camp-out Square-tailed Kite Hattah-Kulkyne National Park–Old Calder Hwy A particularly resplendent adult Square-tailed Kite soaring low over the mallee mid-morning as we left the area, near Warepil Lookout. Also had a pair of Striated Grasswren and three parties of Mallee Emu-wren along Nowingi and Konardin Tracks, heaps of other birds about and beautiful spring weather. Steve Davidson – The Melbourne Birder Cattle Egret Dandenong Creek Trail, 100m north of Jells Park About 30 Cattle Egret, some in breeding plumage feeding hungrily around cattle. Area is about 100 metres from the bridge as you leave Jells Park heading north on the Dandenong Creek Trail. First I have spotted this season. Wendy McWilliams Sat 20 Sep Banded Stilts, Red-necked Avocets and Red-necked Stints Moolap Salt Pans [old Cheetham Salt Works] On Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st AM a large flock of Banded Stilts [765] and Red-necked Avocets [665] were observed resting and feeding on salt pans adjacent to Portarlington Rd. Similarly on Sunday on an adjacent pond Red-necked Stints [350] were seen arriving from N direction and commenced vigorously feeding. This area is on private land and presently subject to a major commercial and residential proposal. This important wader habitat can be viewed from the rear of the pump house situated on Portarlington Rd just east of the CSIRO main entrance way. [scope and hand counter used in bird count ] David Tytherleigh and John Newman Grey Butcherbird J J Holland Park , Kensington single bird seen in trees close to park entrance at corner of Childers and Ormond Streets. I have seen singles of this species at this spot twice before but many months apart so thought sighting may be of interest to local birders. David A Richardson Thu 18 Sep Short-tailed Shearwater Pt Addis First returns of a small number of Short-tailed Shearwater off Pt Addis this morning. Steve Davidson – The Melbourne Birder
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Birdline Tasmania Published sightings for the week ending 28 Sep 2014. Thu 25 Sep Arctic Tern Copper Cove, Narawntapu National Park A beach washed bird found by Julie Serafin. Measurements and plumage fit this species as described in Handbook of Australian Seabirds by Serventy 1971. [Moderator’s Note] Sorry for the confusion – this beach-washed bird was FOUND on the 5th of Sep, but the report was received on the 25th! Julie Serafin and Hazel Britton
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Birdline South Australia Published sightings for the week ending 28 Sep 2014. Sun 28 Sep Cattle Egret Springbank wetland, Burton 3, one in breeding plumage, flew in to join mixed flock on island sheltering in high winds. This wetland is part of a suburban park off Springbank Road and downstream (SW, 1km) of Kaurna Park wetland. Earlier flushed a single Latham Snipe from grassy flat near outlet from KP. Jim Allen Sat 20 Sep Peregrine Falcon Balaklava A pair mating briefly on top of grain silo. Paul Taylor
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Birdline Northern Territory Published sightings for the week ending 28 Sep 2014.
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