Swifts pair flying and calling – northern Sydney 15 Dec 2018

Hi all I don’t normally post my swift sightings (and send them all to Mike Tarburton at the end of the season in a spreadsheet) but yesterday (15 Dec – approx 7pm), just as my bit of northern Sydney (North Turramurra) was recovering from 2 rather violent storm cells and I was outside tidying . . . → Read More: Swifts pair flying and calling – northern Sydney 15 Dec 2018

Red Goshawks caught and netted during nesting season

I was surprised to learn that the endangered Red Goshawk is being netted and tagged during its nesting season on Cape York, and that the Queensland Government has handed over responsibility for the controversial project to mining giant Rio Tinto. More here: https://sunshinecoastbirds.blogspot.com/2018/12/endangered-red-goshawks-netted-and.html Greg Roberts friarbird.roberts@gmail.com Blog: http://sunshinecoastbirds.blogspot.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gregbirdo Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregrobertsqld Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sunshinecoastbirds/ . . . → Read More: Red Goshawks caught and netted during nesting season

sightings help

Can anyone direct me to a website that focuses on reporting rare and unusual bird sightings in Australia? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Ray K Tucson, AZ

Who is the killer?

We are extremely grateful to all of you who have given us so much information. I wish now, as Philip Veerman has done, that we had taken photos and left the carcass of the possum – we didn’t even think of it. We have noted more than 70 birds on our property, but if we . . . → Read More: Who is the killer?

Birding-Aus Digest, Vol 62, Issue 13

Gordon Claridges’ post makes it clear that Powerful Owls decapitate, which they could not do with their claws.

Thanks Gordon

QED

Cheers

Michael

Sent from my iPhone

> On 15 Dec 2018, at 9:37 am, birding-aus-request@birding-aus.org wrote: > > Send Birding-Aus mailing list submissions to > birding-aus@birding-aus.org > > To subscribe . . . → Read More: Birding-Aus Digest, Vol 62, Issue 13

Powerful Owls

 

Tawny Frogmouth remains were by no means common in Powerful Owl pellets or remains at butchery trees but there were a few amongst the 24 pairs on the Georges River in Sydney. Dominant birds were parrots (cockatoos, galahs and assorted psittidae), corvids and the occasional kookaburra. The Frogmouth is a very . . . → Read More: Powerful Owls

Killer Claws

The mystery killer at Torquay prompts a question as to how avian raptors do actually kill their prey.

Despite their great hooked beaks, Wedge-tailed Eagles kill with their claws, using their beaks to tear up their victims, or any carrion they eat. Or so I once read.

Apart from Powerful Owls do any Australian Owls . . . → Read More: Killer Claws

Who is the killer?

We live on 3 acres just outside Torquay in Victoria.  There is of course quite a bit of activity at night but in the last few weeks we have had 3 occurrences which have left us wondering.  The first thing we found was a small amount of fur and an entrail at least 2 . . . → Read More: Who is the killer?

Fwd: amygdalin > hydrogen cyanide

I just did a quick review of the scientific literature of this issue. Ingested amygdalin is absorbed across the intestinal wall in birds, but isn’t metabolised, and is excreted intact in the urine (the liquid component of the droppings).

Kind regards, Stephen

Stephen Ambrose Ryde, NSW

—–Original Message—– From: Birding-Aus < birding-aus-bounces@birding-aus.org> On Behalf . . . → Read More: Fwd: amygdalin > hydrogen cyanide

Birdpedia – Australia – Weekly Digest

The following is a digest of Sightings Reported on Birdpedia for the period Monday, December 17, 2018 to Sunday, December 23, 2018:

Area: SA

Location: 4th Creek Campbelltown

Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) (1) Leucistic, juvenile Magpie with pink legs and feet. Pink beak, mainly white head, grey chest. Mixture of white and black on back.

. . . → Read More: Birdpedia – Australia – Weekly Digest