G’day Michael, I saw a flock of ~20 Needletails wheeling around North Maleny (Sunshine Coast hinterland, SEQ) at 6:45 am this morning. Weather was hot and clear. Regards, Laurie Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org

The following is a digest of Sightings Reported on Birdpedia for the period Monday, November 9, 2020 to Sunday, November 15, 2020: Area: SA Location: On our Rockleigh property Grey Shrike-thrush (Colluricincla harmonica) (1) Grey shrike-thrushes are often skulkers in the foliage, and hard to see. Our bird sat in a sparse sheoak right behind … Read more

Not an Australian bird story, but it is so bizarre that I thought it was worth sharing. At least it has an Australian connection where comment was sought from John Pogonoski, ichthyologist at CSIRO.   Alien-like photo shows snake eel dangling out of heron’s stomach in midair https://www.livescience.com/snake-eel-bursts-out-of-heron.html   Stephen Ambrose, Ryde NSW

https://www.theage.com.au/world/oceania/new-zealand-bird-of-the-year-voter-fraud-scandal-has-kiwis-in-a-flap-20201111-p56di6.html

The present subspecies are taken from the 2-volume BLI/HBW Checklist.   Birdlife Australia regards them as important for Birdlife Australia conservation purposes.   From BLA website:   However, defining all Australia’s bird taxa (species and subspecies) does matter for conservation; it is difficult to monitor and protect birds if they are not defined as taxonomic units. … Read more