Month: February 2016

Little Penguins in hot water

The World’s Smallest Penguin May Be In Danger
Warming waters may be making it harder for the little penguin of Australia to hunt, preliminary research suggests.

See news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/02/160224-penguins-animals-science-australia-global-warming/

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Why bats don’t fly during the day

I was doing my stoutness exercises at my local oval (Hughes, ACT) this
morning and, while it was still dark 6-8 small insectivorous bats were
circling around feeding. (Don’t know what sp but they were all dark and the
body length was 5-6 cms).

As it got lighter they all disappeared except one which was obviously
trying to get some last minute feeding in. A Magpie saw it and swooped at
it and the bat made for the trees at the other side of the Oval (about 250
m away). The Magpie took off after it and easily caught up with it, but
when it did the bat simply circled the Magpie, which was spinning, trying
not to lose height and squawking in frustration. When the Magpie was dizzy
the bat set off again, but same thing thing happened another two times
before it made the safety of the trees.

Guess that trick wouldn’t have worked if it had been pursued by a
Sparrowhawk or Hobby.

—
John Leonard
Canberra

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Top End weeds and their effect on birds: flights

Marie, good on you.

Covering pure stands of weed with old corrugated iron and sisalation wipes out both plants and seeds. For single weeds vinegar works a treat – just plain Home Brand vinegar from Coles. I pour about half a cup on the base of the plant. I do hope this is of help to you.

Denise

On 28 Feb 2016, at 4:00 pm, Marie Tarrant < sittella@gmail.com> wrote:

> I don’t envy you the challenge Denise but I can appreciate it and I applaud you for taking it on! Introduced grasses that keep me busy here trying to keep the integrity of this property at Kobble Creek in SEQ so it stays viable for birds and all other native fauna are Molasses, Rhodes and Whiskey grass.
>
> That’s just the grasses!
> Marie
>
>
>
>
>
> On 28 February 2016 at 06:09, Denise Goodfellow < goodfellow@bigpond.com.au> wrote:
> Good morning all
>
> It’s been a rather dry but stormy February here in the Top End. One lightning strike took out a large tree, our internet connections. It sent shards of trunk up over two metres in length flying for over forty metres in all directions, some landing on our verandah.
>
> Our outdoor activity at this time of year mainly consists of weeding. It’s a battle to preserve a variety of native grasses and herbs for resident birds such as Partridge Pigeon from a variety of interlopers capable at transforming our floristically diverse property to a monoculture. These weeds were mainly brought in as cattle pasture or as contaminants in cattle pasture.
>
> The cattle industry has fought tooth and nail to prevent some of these grasses being declared weeds. However some of these weeds are now causing issues for graziers. According to a real estate agent properties with gamba grass infestations are not selling. Secondly, and probably a bigger issue for the cattle industry, is another weed, a Rats-tail grass (Sporobolus jaquemontia). The silica in this grass causes a condition called smooth-mouth among stock. Cattle suffering from this condiition have teeth so worn down they cannot feed properly.
>
> Rats-tail grass, according to one grazier, is more difficult than other weeds to control, one reason being that has a sticky seed and is easily spread both by vehicles and animals moving through it. Secondly, birds such as Magpie-geese favour the seed and move through the grass stripping the heads as they go. So some granivores may benefit from it, although probably not Partridge Pigeons. They feed in a similar mannter, but only on small grass taxa, such as Eragrostris spp.
>
> Lastly, can anyone tell me whether it would be better for a US visitor travelling to Singapore then on to Bali and finally Darwin to book and pay for tickets from Australia or the USA?
>
>
> Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow
> PO Box 71
> Darwin River, NT, Australia 0841
> 043 8650 835
>
> PhD candidate, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW.
>
> Founding Member: Ecotourism Australia
> Nominated by Earthfoot for Condé Nast’s International Ecotourism Award, 2004.
>
> With every introduction of a plant or animal that goes feral this continent becomes a little less unique, a little less Australian.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

>
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>
>
>
>
> —
> Marie Tarrant
> Kobble Creek, Qld

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Earlier swift sightings 2016

Hello
> Seeing a recent post re Swift Sightings at Macquarie Uni reminded me of 3 earlier sightings which I thought I had reported via Birding – Aus but don’t remember seeing in posts. So I’ll report them again now. All birds seen while driving or waiting at lights.
>
> Jan 13 cnr of Pennant Hills Rd( Cumberland Hwy ) and Copeland Av Beecroft NSW – at least 4 or 5 Swifts – I suspect WTNTs but driving, waiting turn and without binos I couldn’t be sure of species
>
> Jan 27 – about 3 Swifts seen when driving along Junction Rd Winston Hills10.20am; 5 WTNTs on Darcy Rd at Westleigh 3.30pm ( could see their white rumps and throats in sun) ; and 3 more ( probably WTNTs along Pennant Hills Rd at Normanhurst a few minutes later.
>
> Joan Wharton

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Top End weeds and their effect on birds: flights

I don’t envy you the challenge Denise but I can appreciate it and I applaud
you for taking it on! Introduced grasses that keep me busy here trying to
keep the integrity of this property at Kobble Creek in SEQ so it stays
viable for birds and all other native fauna are Molasses, Rhodes and
Whiskey grass.

That’s just the grasses!
Marie

On 28 February 2016 at 06:09, Denise Goodfellow < goodfellow@bigpond.com.au>
wrote:

> Good morning all
>
> It’s been a rather dry but stormy February here in the Top End. One
> lightning strike took out a large tree, our internet connections. It sent
> shards of trunk up over two metres in length flying for over forty metres
> in all directions, some landing on our verandah.
>
> Our outdoor activity at this time of year mainly consists of weeding.
> It’s a battle to preserve a variety of native grasses and herbs for
> resident birds such as Partridge Pigeon from a variety of interlopers
> capable at transforming our floristically diverse property to a
> monoculture. These weeds were mainly brought in as cattle pasture or as
> contaminants in cattle pasture.
>
> The cattle industry has fought tooth and nail to prevent some of these
> grasses being declared weeds. However some of these weeds are now causing
> issues for graziers. According to a real estate agent properties with
> gamba grass infestations are not selling. Secondly, and probably a bigger
> issue for the cattle industry, is another weed, a Rats-tail grass
> (Sporobolus jaquemontia). The silica in this grass causes a condition
> called smooth-mouth among stock. Cattle suffering from this condiition
> have teeth so worn down they cannot feed properly.
>
> Rats-tail grass, according to one grazier, is more difficult than other
> weeds to control, one reason being that has a sticky seed and is easily
> spread both by vehicles and animals moving through it. Secondly, birds
> such as Magpie-geese favour the seed and move through the grass stripping
> the heads as they go. So some granivores may benefit from it, although
> probably not Partridge Pigeons. They feed in a similar mannter, but only
> on small grass taxa, such as Eragrostris spp.
>
> Lastly, can anyone tell me whether it would be better for a US visitor
> travelling to Singapore then on to Bali and finally Darwin to book and pay
> for tickets from Australia or the USA?
>
>
> Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow
> PO Box 71
> Darwin River, NT, Australia 0841
> 043 8650 835
>
> PhD candidate, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW.
>
> Founding Member: Ecotourism Australia
> Nominated by Earthfoot for Condé Nast’s International Ecotourism Award,
> 2004.
>
> With every introduction of a plant or animal that goes feral this
> continent becomes a little less unique, a little less Australian.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

>
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>
Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org
>
To change settings or unsubscribe visit:
>
birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org
>
>

—
Marie Tarrant
Kobble Creek, Qld

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Top End weeds and their effect on birds: flights

Good morning all

It’s been a rather dry but stormy February here in the Top End. One lightning strike took out a large tree, our internet connections. It sent shards of trunk up over two metres in length flying for over forty metres in all directions, some landing on our verandah.

Our outdoor activity at this time of year mainly consists of weeding. It’s a battle to preserve a variety of native grasses and herbs for resident birds such as Partridge Pigeon from a variety of interlopers capable at transforming our floristically diverse property to a monoculture. These weeds were mainly brought in as cattle pasture or as contaminants in cattle pasture.

The cattle industry has fought tooth and nail to prevent some of these grasses being declared weeds. However some of these weeds are now causing issues for graziers. According to a real estate agent properties with gamba grass infestations are not selling. Secondly, and probably a bigger issue for the cattle industry, is another weed, a Rats-tail grass (Sporobolus jaquemontia). The silica in this grass causes a condition called smooth-mouth among stock. Cattle suffering from this condiition have teeth so worn down they cannot feed properly.

Rats-tail grass, according to one grazier, is more difficult than other weeds to control, one reason being that has a sticky seed and is easily spread both by vehicles and animals moving through it. Secondly, birds such as Magpie-geese favour the seed and move through the grass stripping the heads as they go. So some granivores may benefit from it, although probably not Partridge Pigeons. They feed in a similar mannter, but only on small grass taxa, such as Eragrostris spp.

Lastly, can anyone tell me whether it would be better for a US visitor travelling to Singapore then on to Bali and finally Darwin to book and pay for tickets from Australia or the USA?

Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow
PO Box 71
Darwin River, NT, Australia 0841
043 8650 835

PhD candidate, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW.

Founding Member: Ecotourism Australia
Nominated by Earthfoot for Condé Nast’s International Ecotourism Award, 2004.

With every introduction of a plant or animal that goes feral this continent becomes a little less unique, a little less Australian.

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Bird lists

I’m putting together an itinerary for a trip from Perth – Uluru – Kakadu – Darwin – Kununurra – Millstream – Perth. I’ve got the McCrie booklet and the two “where to find birds in Oz” books and they’ve been tremendously useful for planning. I’ve been rather unsuccessful trying to find birds lists for places not covered by them.

Is there a site or group I can access and search for bird lists by geographical name? My needs are rather specific as I’d like to get down to particular spots rather than larger areas.

In anticipation

Cheers – Maris Lauva

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