Willie Wagtail migration

By Birding-Aus, on June 15th, 2015

Hi Martin, Marie, Greg and everyone, Just a bit more on the Willie Wagtail migration. A few years ago, I was around the Longreach, Winton, Boulia area, Bedourie area for a few weeks in late June. Willie Wagtails were everywhere, all out in very open areas. I camped for a few days on a long waterhole just south of Bedourie. There had been rain and the depressions between the sandhills had water in them. Around one stretch of water several hundred metres long where I was camping, I counted (standing on the one spot) over 70 Wagtails. They were living about the lignum, scattered shrubbery and open water and were avoiding the timber/coolibahs that lined the waterhole. I was back there in late September and there wasn’t a Wagtail to be seen. Coming home from one trip, travelling between Winton and Hughenden in late June, Wagtails were sitting on the bitumen every 150 metres or so – probably because it was warm. The country is pretty well treeless – just a few odd small Acacia-like bushes here and there. From Hughenden I travelled north to The Lynd which is mostly mixed woodland. This is a stretch 260 km long. Willie Wagatils were pretty well absent. Without looking at my notes, I counted about a dozen Wagtails over the whole distance. On the Darling Downs when I lived there, they would spend the whole winter less than a metre above ground in the sorghum stubble while ever it was still standing and not ploughed in. I agree with Greg in that it has to be a latitudinal migration. Overall it is not a small movement – it is huge and involves many many thousands of birds! There is no doubt that the open farming lands and inland grassy plains of Queensland is a major wintering area of the Willie Wagtail. They do not seem to reach the Wet Tropics or Cape York Peninsula. On that note, it would be interesting to know what the situation is this year with extreme drought through much of that area. Lloyd Nielsen, Mt Molloy, Nth Qld www.birdingaustralia.com.au

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cgregory123

July 16, 2015 at 9:18 am

The Burdekin-Lynd divide in NQ is an interesting area and has cropped up in this discussion a couple of times. It is a significant barrier to migration and probably accounts for the lack of Wagtails observed by Lloyd around Lynd. Although nearly 30 years old this abstract from Emu is worth a read. “Avian Hybridization and Allopatry in the Region of the Einasleigh Uplands and Burdekin-Lynd Divide, North-eastern Queensland” J. Ford. Emu 1986 (Selected quotes) The Einasleigh Uplands and Burdekin-Lynd Divide comprise an elevated section of the Great Dividing Range in north- eastern Queensland. About twenty avian species of eucalypt forest, woodland and grassland habitats have range gaps, hybrid zones or stepped size-clines in the region of these uplands. Species and species-pairs with a discontinuous or partly discontinuous range include the Lemon-bellied Flycatcher *Microeca flavigaster*, Restless Flycatcher…. …..Though some of the hybrid zones and steps might have been produced by nearby geographical barriers consisting of low rainfall salients, the upland-divide is an active barrier at present. A cooler climate in the upland-divide now, and presumably in past times, appears to be the cause of present and past range gaps because relevant habitats are continuous throughout north-eastern Queensland. ……Most geographical barriers between isolated avian populations on the Australian mainland to consist of arid or low-rainfall belts extending to the coast but other cold upland sections of the Great Dividing Range besides the Einasleigh Uplands and Burdekin-Lynd have operated as barriers. These include the McPherson Range and Blue Mountains-Snowy Mountains chain. Full abstract: http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/MU9860087.htm Chris gregory

cjcorben

July 15, 2015 at 10:22 pm

Interesting! So to what extent could this pattern just reflect breeding? Couldn’t that happen without any movement? Could the influx to northern areas be young birds? — Chris Corben.

sonja.ross7

July 15, 2015 at 8:44 pm

Hi all, It would be interesting to have a similar analysis of the situation at WTP as they do seem to be more common on some visits than others, but not sure where the information could come from. I might see if I can work it out from e-Bird when I have a minute. Sonja

calamanthus5

July 15, 2015 at 6:29 pm

I’ve just had a look at my records over the last 10 years from our property south-west of Horsham in western Vic. There are 99 surveys in total, a bit less than one a month over this timeframe. The Willie Wagtails show a distinct drop during the winter months (May to August). There was only one year with a record in June and only low numbers (when present) during May, July & August. Willie Wagtails breed on the property during late spring and summer. Numbers are highest at this time (10 – 16 birds). Habitat is open Yellow Gum woodland and Desert Stringybark heathy woodland. It gets fairly cold in winter – regular frosts, and hot in summer. Cheers, Euan Moore Message: 7 Cc: “‘Birding-aus'” < birding-aus@birding-aus.org>, “Rohan Clarke” < Rohan.Clarke@monash.edu>, “Ashley Herrod” < ashley.herrod@monash.edu >, “Sean Dooley” < Sean.Dooley@birdlife.org.au>, “Andrew Silcocks” < andrew.Silcocks@birdlife.org.au > Message-ID: <003a01d0bed8$53223af0$f966b0d0$@bigpond.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=”utf-8″ So where does the winter influx of Willie Wagtails to northern and outback NSW and Queensland emanate from? Not it would appear from lowland areas of southern Victoria as might be assumed. Perhaps it is an altitudinal rather than a latitudinal movement. I say that because an analysis of the fluctuation of bird numbers at Melbourne Water’s Eastern Treatment Plant (where it is a common resident bird) over the years 1998-2011 by Sudbury & Carter showed that numbers of Willie Wagtails present during winter were slightly higher than those in summer and were double those in spring when numbers were lowest. There were two peaks in numbers, a very marked one in September and another in April perhaps suggesting a spring and autumn passage. So on a very small scale, I would also regard them as winter visitors to SE Melbourne! Cheers, Mike Carter, 03 9787 7136 30 Canadian Bay Road Mount Eliza, VIC 3930, Australia —–Original Message—– Sent: Monday, 13 July 2015 5:24 PM Cc: Birding-aus Further to our recent discussion on Willie Wagtail migration I have been counting numbers of the species on recent day trips. On a trip from Coutts Crossing to Shark Creek then Tullymorgan on 18 June we counted a total of 24 WWs, on 20 June from Coutts Crossing to Tucabia then to Minnie Water and return we counted 10; on 25 June from Coutts Crossing to the Coldstream wetlands and Tucabia we recorded 58 WWs, 15 of them on the Tucabia sportsfield; on 2 July from Coutts Crossing to Jackadgery then back to Grafton and on to Ulmarra we had 40 WW. Other species that have increased numbers in our area during the autumn-winter months are the Restless Flycatcher, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike and Grey Shrike-thrush however the increases in the Flycatcher and Shrike-thrush numbers are not high. 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: Monday, June 15, 2015 5:08 PM Hi Martin, I observe groups, usually scattered individuals, in a variety of habitats from the edge of grazing paddocks, on fences and roads, as well as along gravel roads in state forests. Roads seem to be an attraction but then I am usually driving along the roads, although if they were gathering away from roads I would also see them there at times. Unfortunately I haven?t recorded these observations in any systematic way but most roads in open country and lightly forested country seem to have these birds. I have just finished 3 months work in northern New South Wales which involved driving many back roads. Willie Wagtails were a common sight along many of them, often foraging on the road and flying to a perch nearby as we drove by. I will note the numbers and locations of them in the future as it would be good to document this regular irruption. Like Lloyd I have also seen them spread along roads spaced at about 100 m from each other. 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/

pterodroma

So where does the winter influx of Willie Wagtails to northern and outback NSW and Queensland emanate from? Not it would appear from lowland areas of southern Victoria as might be assumed. Perhaps it is an altitudinal rather than a latitudinal movement. I say that because an analysis of the fluctuation of bird numbers at Melbourne Water’s Eastern Treatment Plant (where it is a common resident bird) over the years 1998-2011 by Sudbury & Carter showed that numbers of Willie Wagtails present during winter were slightly higher than those in summer and were double those in spring when numbers were lowest. There were two peaks in numbers, a very marked one in September and another in April perhaps suggesting a spring and autumn passage. So on a very small scale, I would also regard them as winter visitors to SE Melbourne! Cheers, Mike Carter, 03 9787 7136 30 Canadian Bay Road Mount Eliza, VIC 3930, Australia —–Original Message—– Sent: Monday, 13 July 2015 5:24 PM Cc: Birding-aus Further to our recent discussion on Willie Wagtail migration I have been counting numbers of the species on recent day trips. On a trip from Coutts Crossing to Shark Creek then Tullymorgan on 18 June we counted a total of 24 WWs, on 20 June from Coutts Crossing to Tucabia then to Minnie Water and return we counted 10; on 25 June from Coutts Crossing to the Coldstream wetlands and Tucabia we recorded 58 WWs, 15 of them on the Tucabia sportsfield; on 2 July from Coutts Crossing to Jackadgery then back to Grafton and on to Ulmarra we had 40 WW. Other species that have increased numbers in our area during the autumn-winter months are the Restless Flycatcher, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike and Grey Shrike-thrush however the increases in the Flycatcher and Shrike-thrush numbers are not high. 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: Monday, June 15, 2015 5:08 PM Hi Martin, I observe groups, usually scattered individuals, in a variety of habitats from the edge of grazing paddocks, on fences and roads, as well as along gravel roads in state forests. Roads seem to be an attraction but then I am usually driving along the roads, although if they were gathering away from roads I would also see them there at times. Unfortunately I haven’t recorded these observations in any systematic way but most roads in open country and lightly forested country seem to have these birds. I have just finished 3 months work in northern New South Wales which involved driving many back roads. Willie Wagtails were a common sight along many of them, often foraging on the road and flying to a perch nearby as we drove by. I will note the numbers and locations of them in the future as it would be good to document this regular irruption. Like Lloyd I have also seen them spread along roads spaced at about 100 m from each other. 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/

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gclancy

July 13, 2015 at 5:23 pm

Further to our recent discussion on Willie Wagtail migration I have been counting numbers of the species on recent day trips. On a trip from Coutts Crossing to Shark Creek then Tullymorgan on 18 June we counted a total of 24 WWs, on 20 June from Coutts Crossing to Tucabia then to Minnie Water and return we counted 10; on 25 June from Coutts Crossing to the Coldstream wetlands and Tucabia we recorded 58 WWs, 15 of them on the Tucabia sportsfield; on 2 July from Coutts Crossing to Jackadgery then back to Grafton and on to Ulmarra we had 40 WW. Other species that have increased numbers in our area during the autumn-winter months are the Restless Flycatcher, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike and Grey Shrike-thrush however the increases in the Flycatcher and Shrike-thrush numbers are not high. 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: Monday, June 15, 2015 5:08 PM Hi Martin, I observe groups, usually scattered individuals, in a variety of habitats from the edge of grazing paddocks, on fences and roads, as well as along gravel roads in state forests. Roads seem to be an attraction but then I am usually driving along the roads, although if they were gathering away from roads I would also see them there at times. Unfortunately I haven’t recorded these observations in any systematic way but most roads in open country and lightly forested country seem to have these birds. I have just finished 3 months work in northern New South Wales which involved driving many back roads. Willie Wagtails were a common sight along many of them, often foraging on the road and flying to a perch nearby as we drove by. I will note the numbers and locations of them in the future as it would be good to document this regular irruption. Like Lloyd I have also seen them spread along roads spaced at about 100 m from each other. 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/

meathead.clark5

June 15, 2015 at 6:46 pm

Willie Wagtails were one of the few bird species seen constantly during my recent drive along the Canning Stock Route. In fact, they and Magpie-Larks are probably the most commonly encountered species. Cheers David Sent from my iPhone

June 15, 2015 at 5:08 pm

Hi Martin, I observe groups, usually scattered individuals, in a variety of habitats from the edge of grazing paddocks, on fences and roads, as well as along gravel roads in state forests. Roads seem to be an attraction but then I am usually driving along the roads, although if they were gathering away from roads I would also see them there at times. Unfortunately I haven’t recorded these observations in any systematic way but most roads in open country and lightly forested country seem to have these birds. I have just finished 3 months work in northern New South Wales which involved driving many back roads. Willie Wagtails were a common sight along many of them, often foraging on the road and flying to a perch nearby as we drove by. I will note the numbers and locations of them in the future as it would be good to document this regular irruption. Like Lloyd I have also seen them spread along roads spaced at about 100 m from each other. 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/ Sent: Monday, June 15, 2015 11:03 AM Cc: greg clancy Yes Lloyd, this year would be very interesting indeed out there in those areas. It’s great that Greg Clancy had noted that Willie Wagtails undertake a latitudinal migration into the Northern Rivers area of NSW, and I’m sorry Greg for not saying that earlier. In your area Greg, what sort of habitat do these wintering Willies occupy I wonder? It’s a shame that I’m not out in that Qld channel country this winter season too, as I often am every other year or so. But I would think that there still would be thousands & thousands & thousands of Willies out there now!! just a hunch… I can concur with Lloyd that Willie Wagtail numbers stay pretty constant here on the lowlands of the Wet Tropics, and I 100% agree that the wintering grounds, at least in Qld, would be in those vast inland plains west of the Great Dividing Range. It’s interesting Lloyd that that area north of Hughenden that you have raised here is smack bang where the Great Dividing Range hits too – so that’s the key I reckon. I have made that very same trip from & home to Cairns via that Hughenden-Lynd Junction Rd a number of times at similar times of year, and I agree with you totally. That road pretty much sits atop the actual Great Divide & I never had many Willies along it either, in the ironbark forests or the more open mixed woodlands. I can add that the Willies do winter in southern NT as well – when travelling many times during June-July over the years in the Simpson Desert and in that part of NT say south & east of Alice Springs, I recall seeing lots & lots of Willies out there in that low lying country. I also remember seeing loads of them in June whenever I’ve been along that stretch of the Barkly Hwy between Camooweal (Qld) and Barkly Homestead (NT). That is also a very sparsely vegetated blacksoil plain. So it’s a very interesting wintering ground these southern Willies have I reckon… Thank you Lloyd & Greg for actually noting this Willie Wagtail migration on here. Because it’s fair to say that I hadn’t actually noticed it as such at all. I know that I’ve seen this massive amount of Willies over the years many times when birding out in these areas in the winter months, but I hadn’t really thought about it any further. It wasn’t until Lloyd asked me about it a few years ago after he made this trip that he has mentioned here. And now that Greg has raised it a few days ago, here we are discussing it now!! One of you two fellows should write this up formally… I wonder what others on here have to add on numbers of Willies wintering out there in the adjoining areas of north-west NSW, northern SA, and all of inland WA…?? And also what’s actually happening right now in the Qld blacksoil & desert country – as Lloyd has already pondered…?? cheers, martin cachard, trinity beach (nice & sunny today), cairns.

peter.pfeiffer

June 15, 2015 at 4:38 pm

—–Original Message—– Sent: Monday, 15 June 2015 2:49 PM Hi Martin, Was up river camped on the Murray the weekend before last near Waikerie and there were Willie Wagtails about. Saw Brown Quail as well. Cheers, Peter. Does everyone down there in the southern Australia (say in Sydney, Melbourne, & Adelaide), see Willie Wagtails in the months of May, June & July??

martinflab

June 15, 2015 at 3:38 pm

mcachard

June 15, 2015 at 3:19 pm

Hi Rob, Well that’s very interesting indeed. It would be well worth having a look around your area now Rob to see if there are any Willie Wagtails still hanging around. Do you recall if these 2 adult Willie Wagtails that you saw in May there in Bamaga seemed particularly large birds to you?? If they did appear like big Willie Wagtails to you, then they could be either birds from the north of you (ie the larger race ‘melaleuca’ from Torres Strait islands & PNG), or they could have been visiting migrants from southern Australia of race ‘leucophrys’. If they just appeared about the same size as birds that you would see, say around Cairns for instance, then they were probably likely to be of our local northern race ‘picata’, which is a noticeably smaller bird than the southern latitudinal migrants ‘leucophrys’ that we have been discussing here on this thread. What makes it hard is that all 3 races look pretty much the same, apart from the size. I get to see our Cairns locals all year as they breed here extensively, and they appear generally quite a bit smaller than the southern birds that winter in the inland of Qld. I just wonder how far north these migratory ‘leucophrys’ actually travel when wintering in normal non-drought years. But Rob, I suspect that the birds that you saw were indeed most likely visiting southern ‘leucophrys’ – it is a very dry year all round & my bet is that they get up as far as you in Bamaga in these very dry times. Also, I’ve never seen a Willie Wagtail of race ‘melaleuca’ but from what I read, they must appear significantly larger than our local breeding northern birds of race ‘picata’, and also a bit larger than the southern birds as well. Lots of questions need to be answered, but Lloyd & Greg are most definitely onto something pretty significant here in having found that this species does seem to have a major latitudinal migratory population – well, at least a fair proportion of the nominate race ‘leucophrys’ anyway. Does everyone down there in the southern Australia (say in Sydney, Melbourne, & Adelaide), see Willie Wagtails in the months of May, June & July?? I’m just putting it out there – as they say… cheers, martin cachard, trinity beach, cairns.

June 15, 2015 at 11:03 am

Yes Lloyd, this year would be very interesting indeed out there in those areas. It’s great that Greg Clancy had noted that Willie Wagtails undertake a latitudinal migration into the Northern Rivers area of NSW, and I’m sorry Greg for not saying that earlier. In your area Greg, what sort of habitat do these wintering Willies occupy I wonder? It’s a shame that I’m not out in that Qld channel country this winter season too, as I often am every other year or so. But I would think that there still would be thousands & thousands & thousands of Willies out there now!! just a hunch… I can concur with Lloyd that Willie Wagtail numbers stay pretty constant here on the lowlands of the Wet Tropics, and I 100% agree that the wintering grounds, at least in Qld, would be in those vast inland plains west of the Great Dividing Range. It’s interesting Lloyd that that area north of Hughenden that you have raised here is smack bang where the Great Dividing Range hits too – so that’s the key I reckon. I have made that very same trip from & home to Cairns via that Hughenden-Lynd Junction Rd a number of times at similar times of year, and I agree with you totally. That road pretty much sits atop the actual Great Divide & I never had many Willies along it either, in the ironbark forests or the more open mixed woodlands. I can add that the Willies do winter in southern NT as well – when travelling many times during June-July over the years in the Simpson Desert and in that part of NT say south & east of Alice Springs, I recall seeing lots & lots of Willies out there in that low lying country. I also remember seeing loads of them in June whenever I’ve been along that stretch of the Barkly Hwy between Camooweal (Qld) and Barkly Homestead (NT). That is also a very sparsely vegetated blacksoil plain. So it’s a very interesting wintering ground these southern Willies have I reckon… Thank you Lloyd & Greg for actually noting this Willie Wagtail migration on here. Because it’s fair to say that I hadn’t actually noticed it as such at all. I know that I’ve seen this massive amount of Willies over the years many times when birding out in these areas in the winter months, but I hadn’t really thought about it any further. It wasn’t until Lloyd asked me about it a few years ago after he made this trip that he has mentioned here. And now that Greg has raised it a few days ago, here we are discussing it now!! One of you two fellows should write this up formally… I wonder what others on here have to add on numbers of Willies wintering out there in the adjoining areas of north-west NSW, northern SA, and all of inland WA…?? And also what’s actually happening right now in the Qld blacksoil & desert country – as Lloyd has already pondered…?? cheers, martin cachard, trinity beach (nice & sunny today), cairns.

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Willie Wagtail migration

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