WTNT migrants reach Victoria.

G’day Birding-Ausies Well almost. Yesterday afternoon Irene Allan reported 20 White- throated Needletails feeding over their property (Timbilica) just 4 k short of the Victorian Border. This is three days earlier than last year. Another interesting point is that no sightings have yet been reported between Sydney & Timbilica. There have been only two from the Sydney area, a few from Port Macquarie, with most from SE Qld. Several people have asked if I am still interested in receiving reports of sightings seeing as the paper showing their decline has been published in Australian Field Ornithology in Septemeber? Yes I am still collecting sightings to determine if the decline continues, levels off or hopefully evidences a recovery. Please provide date and number of birds (Behaviour and weather details if you have time) to me off-line or in Birdline, Birdlife Atlas, e-bird or local bird-club newsletter – some place where I can locate it please. Alas some, particularly in Far Nth Qld still place observations (on eBird for example) without the number of birds. It is extremely frustrating trying to document a birds decline when people frequently report that they saw 1 of all 52 species of birds they have reported on eBird. Others report X number of WTNT, FTS or swiftlets on eBird or the Birdlife atlas. An estimate is far preferable if you are unable to count the exact number seen. Cheers & Happy swift hunting Mike