Hi everyone I’m just going through my trip notes from the long weekend and I have a query. I know there is a remnant population of Emu south of Brooms Head, in or near Yuraygir National Park. Do these birds move out of the park? I had a glimpse of what may have been 4 or 5 Emus in a paddock close to the Corindi Beach turnoff. Yes – I can imagine what you’re all saying – how can ANYONE confuse an Emu with ANYTHING?!! Well, I didn’t get a great look at them, and I was driving on one of the last remaining sections of single carriageway between Sydney and Brisbane. My initial response was EMU! But the birds were obscured on a quick second and third glance and I didn’t dare risk any more looks. It wasn’t the sort of place I wanted to pull over. Has anyone else seen these birds? Are they wild, are they on a farm, or are they kangaroos?! Russell Woodford _______________________________________________ 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
Yeah, g’day Russell, Greg Clancy will be the best person to respond to your sighting of an Emu at Corindi, and the southern range of Yuraygir National Park. Our southern-most sighting years ago was still north of the Red Rock River but that is not far north of Corindi. In the northern part of their range, they move from the Yuraygir National Park coast as far west as the Pacific Highway and Clarence River, but our observations for the last eight months have been well down. Normally we would see them quite regularly along the Sandon Road and the Brooms Head Road into Maclean. This year, we have seen about five in just a couple of groups and there seems to have been a sudden drop in numbers. On the Brooms Head road one particular cane farm that was regularly frequented has been lost to them as a result of fencing, and I suspect that increased habitation and fencing has contributed to the reduced number of sightings. Hopefully they have retreated into the bush. Road kill has been an ongoing problem. The reconstruction of the Pacific Highway (route not as yet settled) threatens to cut them off from the western part of their range. Peter and Bev Morgan The conservation battle is never finally won; the development battle is. _______________________________________________ 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 Russell, The declining Coastal Emu population was, until few years ago, found as far south as Red Rock, just north of Corindi. Apparently domestic dogs killed the few birds that were south of the Corindi River and there have been no sighting there since. It would be great if what you saw were Emus but it is more likely that they were Eastern Grey Kangaroos, which are common in the area. Nevertheless it would be great if people travelling in that area could keep an eye open for Emus. The Coastal Emu used to be found west of the Pacific Highway in the Halfway Creek-Kungala area but appears to have died out there as well however an adult male with a group of juveniles was recently seen west of the new Glenugie section of the Pacific Highway upgrade. I am not aware of any farmed or pet Emus at Corindi. An update on the threat to the Coastal Emu population in the Clarence Valley from the Pacific Highway Upgrade – the Department of Planning is still considering the large number of submissions received on the EIS. Most opposed the preferred route (which threatens the Coastal Emu and 80+ other threatened species) but the Roads and Maritime Services is a powerful body and usually gets what it wants so we are not hopeful of an outcome to favour the Emus. Regards Greg Dr Greg. P. Clancy Ecologist and Birding-wildlife Guide | PO Box 63 Coutts Crossing NSW 2460 | 02 6649 3153 | 0429 601 960 http://www.gregclancyecologistguide.com http://gregswildliferamblings.blogspot.com.au/ —–Original Message—– Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2014 11:21 PM Hi everyone I’m just going through my trip notes from the long weekend and I have a query. I know there is a remnant population of Emu south of Brooms Head, in or near Yuraygir National Park. Do these birds move out of the park? I had a glimpse of what may have been 4 or 5 Emus in a paddock close to the Corindi Beach turnoff. Yes – I can imagine what you’re all saying – how can ANYONE confuse an Emu with ANYTHING?!! Well, I didn’t get a great look at them, and I was driving on one of the last remaining sections of single carriageway between Sydney and Brisbane. My initial response was EMU! But the birds were obscured on a quick second and third glance and I didn’t dare risk any more looks. It wasn’t the sort of place I wanted to pull over. Has anyone else seen these birds? Are they wild, are they on a farm, or are they kangaroos?! Russell Woodford _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ 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