Hi birders
I've just returned from 5 days of survey for the Mountain Pygmy-possum
(Burramys parvus) at sites on the Bogong High Plains between Falls Creek
village and Mount McKay, in the Victorian Alps. I've very rarely spent any
time in the Australian Alps, so this was a good opportunity to get a feel
for the alpine environment Australian-style. I've attached 4 general fauna
lists here for sites ranging from about 1650 metres ASL (Falls Creek
village) to 1860 metres ASL (summit of Mount McKay). You can see clearly
how simple and species-poor the avifauna is at this altitude in our part of
the world! Perhaps the most interesting bird records for me were Latham's
Snipe (in alpine bog & heath), Stubble Quail (Snow Grass) and Yellow-faced
Honeyeater (migrating through Snow Gum woodland).
.... and yes, we caught one Mountain Pygmy-possum - a lifer for me and a
rather charming beast!
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FALLS CREEK VILLAGE, BOGONG HIGH PLAINS, VICTORIAN ALPS.
05/12/2001
About 1650m ASL. Built-up area, remnant Snow Gum woodland, heath, Snow
Grass, etc.
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Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus funereus
Gang-gang Cockatoo Callocephalon fimbriatum
Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans
Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis
Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus
Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus
White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis
Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata
Crescent Honeyeater Phylidonyris pyrrhoptera
Flame Robin Petroica phoenicea
Olive Whistler Pachycephala olivacea
Grey Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Pied Currawong Strepera graculina
Grey Currawong Strepera versicolor
Australian Raven Corvus coronoides
Little Raven Corvus mellori
Richard's Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae
Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
Dingo and Dog Canis lupus
Fox Vulpes vulpes
Common Eastern Froglet Crinia signifera
23 species
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DAMSITE HILL NEAR MT MCKAY, BOGONG HIGH PLAINS, VICTORIAN ALPS.
05/12/2001
About 1600-1750m ASL. Tall heath, podocarp scrub, alpine bog, Snow Gum
woodland.
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Latham's Snipe Gallinago hardwickii
Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans
Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis
Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus
White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis
Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
Crescent Honeyeater Phylidonyris pyrrhoptera
Flame Robin Petroica phoenicea
Olive Whistler Pachycephala olivacea
Grey Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa
Pied Currawong Strepera graculina
Grey Currawong Strepera versicolor
Little Raven Corvus mellori
Richard's Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae
Silvereye Zosterops lateralis
Bassian Thrush Zoothera lunulata
Dusky Antechinus Antechinus swainsonii
Mountain Pygmy-possum Burramys parvus
Bush Rat Rattus fuscipes
Dingo and Dog Canis lupus
Fox Vulpes vulpes
Common Eastern Froglet Crinia signifera
Tussock Cool-skink Pseudemoia entrecasteauxii
23 species
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ROCKY KNOLLS NEAR MT MCKAY, BOGONG HIGH PLAINS, VICTORIAN ALPS.
05/12/2001
About 1600-1750m ASL. Tall heath, low heath, Snow Grass, alpine bog, Snow
Gum woodland.
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Stubble Quail Coturnix pectoralis
Nankeen Kestrel Falco cenchroides
Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans
Pallid Cuckoo Cuculus pallidus
Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis
White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis
Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
Yellow-faced Honeyeater Lichenostomus chrysops
Crescent Honeyeater Phylidonyris pyrrhoptera
Flame Robin Petroica phoenicea
Olive Whistler Pachycephala olivacea
Grey Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa
Grey Currawong Strepera versicolor
Little Raven Corvus mellori
Richard's Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae
Silvereye Zosterops lateralis
Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
Bush Rat Rattus fuscipes
Dingo and Dog Canis lupus
Fox Vulpes vulpes
Common Eastern Froglet Crinia signifera
Cool-temperate Water-skink Eulamprus tympanum
22 species
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MOUNT MCKAY, BOGONG HIGH PLAINS, VICTORIAN ALPS.
05/12/2001
Podocarp scrub over basalt blockstream, low heath, Snow Grass.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Crescent Honeyeater Phylidonyris pyrrhoptera
Pied Currawong Strepera graculina
Grey Currawong Strepera versicolor
Little Raven Corvus mellori
Richard's Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae
Dingo and Dog Canis lupus
Fox Vulpes vulpes
Tussock Cool-skink Pseudemoia entrecasteauxii
Tussock Cool-skink Pseudomoia pagenstcheri
9 species
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
L A W R I E C O N O L E
2/37 Myrnong Crescent, Ascot Vale, Victoria 3032 AUSTRALIA.
Phone AH (03) 9370 3928; Mobile (0419) 588 993.
E-mail:
Senior Zoologist
Ecology Australia Pty Ltd
88 B Station Street, Fairfield, Victoria 3078 AUSTRALIA
Phone BH (03) 9489 4191
E-mail:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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