A Galaxy of Star Finch
By seashore, on January 24th, 2014
The most Star Finch I’ve ever seen by a long shot in a tree beside the Miaree Pool. Usually in small numbers but this lot were having a conference. I was wondering whether others have recorded them in large groups? Chris Shaw seashore@internode.on.net Mobile 0409 675912 My blog – “Top Birds and Everyfing” can be found on the following link http://topbirdsandeveryfing.typepad.com/top-birds-everyfing/ “I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.” Sir Isaac Newton _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org
Hello Chris and others, I was lucky enough to be paid to study Star Finches (and Crimsons) back in the late 1990’s and followed them across the grasslands of Cape York and in the eastern Kimberleys. They are an amazing experience in a large flock aren’t they? In the non-breeding season (dry season) in particular they amass into large flocks that tend to remain within flying distance of water. The biggest numbers by far that I saw were on the irrigated agricultural areas north of Kununurra where they had strips and patches of native veg and weeds (good for feeding) permanent water and sugarcane for roosting. The actual numbers I can’t remember but I think I estimated thousands. However, I found few nests here, most of the nests I found in a patch of remnant vegetation in a large loose colony. I noticed recently on Google Earth that this place is now cleared. As many of you will know, the eastern subspecies of star is possibly extinct. I’ve seen museum specimens of this form and to me they look distinctly different to the Cape York subsp and the northern Aust subsp. Cheers, Mick Todd — Michael Todd Molesworth, Tasmania (soon to be Mildura, Vic) http://wildlifing.smugmug.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-todd/2b/425/605 _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org
hi Chris, there’s spot in Lakefield NP north of Cairns where i have often seen 500-750 Star Finch coming in to drink – this has happened in every annual or biannual visit there since 2006… this, sadly, is probably the most SE site in Aust where one can see this species with any regularity… cheers, martin cachard, Cairns, 0428 782 808 _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org
Can you send some of that rain to the Northern Tablelands of NSW? Shirley C —– Original Message —– From: Chris Shaw To: Birding Aus Cc: Shirley Cook ; Philip Veerman Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2014 11:13 AM Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] A Galaxy of Star Finch Hi All For those who have enquired the Miaree Pool is west of Karratha where the Maitland River goes under the Northwest Coast Highway. As much as you can call any pool permanent… its permanent and is a popular recreational spot for swimming and other non-bird watching fun including a few beers… say no more Thanks for the replies on numbers… it seems that they can congregate in very large numbers which is great and with all the rain we have had so far in the Kimberley and Pilbara at least and the spinifex already in massive bloom again there should be plenty of food for them and other seed eaters etc and the flow-on effect that brings. Cheers Chris On 25/01/2014, at 9:33 AM, “Shirley Cook” < shirleycook@skymesh.com.au> wrote: …and Mairee Pool is where? Shirley Cook —– Original Message —– From: “Chris Shaw” < seashore@internode.on.net> To: < birding-aus@birding-aus.org> Sent: Friday, January 24, 2014 6:30 PM Subject: [Birding-Aus] A Galaxy of Star Finch The most Star Finch I’ve ever seen by a long shot in a tree beside the Miaree Pool. Usually in small numbers but this lot were having a conference. I was wondering whether others have recorded them in large groups? Chris Shaw seashore@internode.on.net Mobile 0409 675912 My blog – “Top Birds and Everyfing” can be found on the following link http://topbirdsandeveryfing.typepad.com/top-birds-everyfing/ “I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.” Sir Isaac Newton _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org Chris Shaw seashore@internode.on.net Mobile 0409 675912 My blog – “Top Birds and Everyfing” can be found on the following link http://topbirdsandeveryfing.typepad.com/top-birds-everyfing/ “I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.” Sir Isaac Newton No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG – http://www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4259 / Virus Database: 3681/7031 – Release Date: 01/24/14 _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org
Hi All For those who have enquired the Miaree Pool is west of Karratha where the Maitland River goes under the Northwest Coast Highway. As much as you can call any pool permanent… its permanent and is a popular recreational spot for swimming and other non-bird watching fun including a few beers… say no more Thanks for the replies on numbers… it seems that they can congregate in very large numbers which is great and with all the rain we have had so far in the Kimberley and Pilbara at least and the spinifex already in massive bloom again there should be plenty of food for them and other seed eaters etc and the flow-on effect that brings. Cheers Chris On 25/01/2014, at 9:33 AM, “Shirley Cook” < shirleycook@skymesh.com.au> wrote: Chris Shaw seashore@internode.on.net Mobile 0409 675912 My blog – “Top Birds and Everyfing” can be found on the following link http://topbirdsandeveryfing.typepad.com/top-birds-everyfing/ “I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.” Sir Isaac Newton _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org
Hello Chris Interesting observation and great photos. August 2013 at Myroodah Crossing; 18’04.880″S, 124′ 13.656″E , many hundreds, perhaps more than 1000 birds comprising several swarming flocks and feeding around long dense seeding cane grass clumps for about 150 metres along bush track winding adjacent to the southern margin of Fitzroy River, starting not more than about 50 metres east of the road. Great camping spot too. Also, years ago on this forum I wrote about about flocks of Star Finch that frequent the Maleleuca swamps at Wyndham (three mile) township. We lived there for eight years during the nineties and the best area for them were the dense tea tree clumps about 250 m South West of the Caravan Park. Regards Ian May St Helens, Tas. 0428337956 ———————————————————————— Chris Shaw wrote: _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org
On 25/01/2014 10:03 AM, Shirley Cook wrote: Google Earth puts it about 20km SW of Dampier, WA, about 300m S of the North-West Coast Highway. Brian Fleming Ivanhoe Vic _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org
…and Mairee Pool is where? Shirley Cook —– Original Message —– Sent: Friday, January 24, 2014 6:30 PM The most Star Finch I’ve ever seen by a long shot in a tree beside the Miaree Pool. Usually in small numbers but this lot were having a conference. I was wondering whether others have recorded them in large groups? Chris Shaw seashore@internode.on.net Mobile 0409 675912 My blog – “Top Birds and Everyfing” can be found on the following link http://topbirdsandeveryfing.typepad.com/top-birds-everyfing/ “I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.” Sir Isaac Newton _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org