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Dear Friends,

Has anyone driven the Anne Beadell Highway between Coober Pedy and Neale Junction recently. I have had conflicting reports. The manager of the Ilkurlka Roadhouse, not far from the Neal Junction, told me this morning that it takes usually four days to get from Coober Pedy to Neal Junction. But the notes on the Anne Beadell Highway in the Australian 4X4 webisite, at http://www.australia-4×4.com.au/anne-beadell-highway-australia.html seems to suugest it’s not too bad. We are planning to hire a 4 wheel drive in Coober Pedy, but obviously need some idea of how much time we’ll need. Can anyone enlighten me?

Thanks,

Dr John Penhallurick

86 Bingley Cres

Fraser A.C.T. 2615

Australia

email:jpenhall@bigpond.net.au

Phone: Home (612) 62585428

Mobile:0408585426

Please visit my website:http://www.worldbirdinfo.net

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In reference to Tim Dolby’s reference to not submitting the Pilbara Elegant Parrot records to the Atlas.

I contributed 1000s of surveys to the Atlas. And I do feel guilty that I haven’t contributed as heavily to the Ongoing Atlas. Generally I do it for the more out of the way areas that I might visit.

For me, the strength of the Atlas will be for monitoring changes in the more common birds, and especially for changes at specific sites. I don’t see the Atlas as having much value for recording rarities, or for birds outside their normal range. They need to be monitored and protected within their normal range.

One weakness of the Atlas is that it requires a fairly specific definition of the location. This meant that when I did Atlas, that I completed a lot of incidental surveys. e.g. when heading east from Geraldton I put in incidental surveys for my first sighting of birds like Pied Butcherbird, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, etc. I also filled in a lot of incidental surveys for raptors. Despite this, I used to estimate that maybe only 80% of the species that I saw that day would appear on the surveys, because I was moving around a lot. Even when I was based in Broome (or Anna Plains Station) for an extended period for things like the wader banding expeditions, I would find that maybe only 60 to 70% of the species ended up on the survey forms. For this reason, I would fill in a WA Database Card for the area so that all the species were recorded, but on a far less specific location. The WA Database accepts cards for shires, or National Parks, or stations, or islands, or lakes, etc.

The other weakness of the Atlas is the time it takes to complete the surveys. By the time that I have recorded my sightings on my computer, and everything else, I don’t have the time to then fill in Atlas forms as well. e.g. when I am on tour with a group of people. You are birding from dawn to dusk and then having dinner and doing a bird call, etc. I can (and do) complete WA Database cards for areas like Dryandra SF, Stirling Range NP, Albany Shire, etc as these take little time. I also don’t have time during the day to take GPS readings for survey sites. It is simply not feasible for people like George Swann in the Kimberley to Atlas. There are not enough hours in the day.

Don’t get me wrong. The Atlas is a fantastic resource, and I applaud everyone who has or still are contributing data. But it does have limitations. But for me, the Atlas data is far more valuable for repeatedly surveying a specific site, rather than for recording major rarities or a bird out of its normal range. The fact that Elegant Parrots occur in the Pilbara in winter is documented in books like the two volume reference published by the WA Museum, and by papers like that by Rob Davis. Having it in the Atlas does not contribute very much extra.

_________________________________________________________________ Frank O’Connor Birding WA http://birdingwa.iinet.net.au Phone : (08) 9386 5694 Email : foconnor@iinet.net.au

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OK, perfect! Thanks all.

// Olof

On Tue, Jun 15, 2010 at 11:18 AM, Ian May wrote: > Hello Olof > Ttry Eremea  http://www.eremaea.com/ or Birdpedia http://www.birdpedia.com/ > and type in AU for country code > > Regards > > Ian > > Olof Kasselstrand wrote: > > Hi all, > > Is there a australian system to report the birds you see? Would be fun > to be able to report the birds I see on a web page and get a yearly, > monthly, weekly list etc. Have top lists for top twitchers and so on. > I have seen this kind a of system in other countries and I think it’s > a social and fun thing to compare what you have seen with other bird > watchers. > > If there is no such system, would there be an interest of a australian > system? (a simple free report system). > > Regards, Olof > =============================== > www.birding-aus.org > birding-aus.blogspot.com > > To unsubscribe from this mailing list, > send the message: > unsubscribe > (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) > to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au > =============================== > > ________________________________ > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG – www.avg.com > > Version: 9.0.829 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2938 – Release Date: 06/15/10 > 04:35:00 > > ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com

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RE: [Birding-Aus] Search for Night Parrot at Skull Springs RdOriginal Message from Tim Dolby on June 15 is below.

Unfortunately Tim, your data base appears to be inadequate. Reference to the paper, Davis, A.D. & Burbidge, H. (2008), ‘The Elegant Parrot (Neophema elegans) in Arid Regions of Western Australia, Amytornis 1(1): 1-5, shows that up to 2005 there were 46 records of Elegant Parrot north of Kalbarri (slightly south of Meekatharra) and 6 of these were in the Pilbara. And I think you’ll also find more recent records.

Mike Carter 30 Canadian Bay Road Mount Eliza VIC 3930 Tel (03) 9787 7136

As Mike Carter indicated, interesting observations re Elegant Parrot. Your report is actually significantly north of the recognized range for this species. In fact the closest records I can find to the Skull Springs Rd site is 700 south near Meekatharra. For example there were also a couple of recent observation (24/04/2010) on Meka and Murgoo Stations near Yalgoo ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com

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Bob

We saw both Gibberbirds and Orange Chats almost together on gibber plains on the way out to Lake Eyre from Williams Creek, SA. Even found an Orange Chat nest in a low shrub in gibber type country near the Lake. The enlarged image of your bird also shows the bird appears to have a yellow/cream corner of the gape suggesting it may be a young bird. Young Gibberbirds according to HANZAB have yellow eyes while your bird has red/brown eyes suggesting Orange Chat.

Greg Little

—–Original Message—– From: birding-aus-bounces@vicnet.net.au [mailto:birding-aus-bounces@vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of Bob Cook Sent: Tuesday, 15 June 2010 8:42 PM To: ‘birding-aus’ Subject: [Birding-Aus] ID assistance Gibberbird / Chat

Hi again and thanks to all who have offer ID and reasons.

I understand these reasons and agree, but, I did not mention before the behaviour / environment factors that added to our ID confusion.

This bird was seen alone, whereas we had seen MANY Orange Chats, males and females, in groups during this trip from Outback NSW, through S.A. and into the N.T.

This bird was on very open gibber, did not fly or hop up onto any of the low plants in the immediate area. It walked and ran across the ground. Orange Chats we had seen all flew and perched on low and medium understory plants. None of the groups of Orange Chats were seen on such bare Gibber. I have added another picture to the gallery at the link below that better shows the surrounding country. This environment spread for at least several hundred metres in every direction.

This bird was observed twice within a few minutes taking a short, sharp vertical “flight”, perhaps around one metre off the ground to catch flying prey. I understand this is typical of Gibberbird, whereas Orange Chats typically feed off the ground.

I am not sure that the photos are good enough to rule out that this bird had a pale eye.

The “common” comment in the three guides I have is of the upright stance of the Gibberbird. This is what we saw, and is shown in all photos of the stationary bird, in comparison to the Orange Chats..

I do not currently have easy access to Hanzab, so I am relying on you to assist.

Does anyone want to help/comment further given the above observations??

Thanks again

Bob Cook

_____

From: Bob Cook [mailto:spanda8@bigpond.com] Sent: Tuesday, 15 June 2010 9:59 AM To: ‘birding-aus’ Cc: ‘Marlene Lyell’; ‘Russ Lamb’ Subject: ID assistance please

Hi all

Looking for assistance to help resolve identification of this bird. Seen along roadside and adjacent gibber North of Marree in South Australia. Unfortunately these were the best pictures we got.

Obvious contenders are Gibberbird and female/juvenile Orange Chat. All contributions gratefully received!!!

http://picasaweb.google.com.au/BobBirdPics/MarreeMystery?feat=directlink

Bob Cook

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Back to the future…. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> From: “Alastair Smith” <alastair@homemail.com.au > To: <birding-aus@vicnet.net.au> Subject: [Birding-Aus] The Biggest Life List I am presently reading ‘All things reconsidered’ a selection of essays written by Roger Tory Peterson for Bird Watcher’s Digest and edited by Bill Thompson III. I was surprised to read in a discussion written in 1984 about life lists, that an Australian, Stuart Stokes ‘reportedly’ had the biggest list with 6125. That begs the question , who is Stuart Stokes? Cheers Alastair =============================== To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au http://birding-aus.org ===============================

Hi, I am hoping that you can get this message to Iian Denham. Hello Iian, Just wondering if you would be good enough to advise me and if you can recall where on Old Grassy Road King Island you spotted the pair of Moreporks? Would love to get a sighting. Thank you John                                 On the East Coast away from the prevailing Westerlies. ‘A Slice of Paradise’ (Naracoopa Holiday Cottages) TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2013 – 2014 – 2015 – – View reviews a Star Ratings Australia 3.5 Stars 2015 Accredited Tourism Business 2015 Rainbow Tasmania Tourism Accredited Winner Westpac Business Excellence Awards for Tourism Winner Westpac Business Excellence Awards for Customer Service 03 6461 1326 – 0427 002 397 – email: jonron49@bigpond.com www.naracoopaholidayunits.com.au http://www.kingislandholidayaccommodation net/ http://www.kingislandbirdwatching.com.au/

On Thursday we drove down to Deni and, following Gil Langfield’s instructions, easily located the Ostrichs – 4 adults + 4 young in the first group and then 1 adult and 2 young from the main road. Those adults are surely big birds – they are taller than the cattle in the same paddock. Thanks Gil.

Regarding the lumping of Corvids, well, I quickly made my decision – they were 5 (6) species when I ticked them and that is how they will be counted on my list regardless of what the Scientists say but I was relieved when the plot was revealed.

Regards

Hazel and Allan Wright

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