I saw the Brisbane Bittern perched on one of the chains anchoring the
riverside helipad as I was cycling home from work, which reminded me to
introduce the concept of commuter counting [or twitching for those who
like to think in those terms]. Commuter counting is ultimately
non-competitive as no one else can replicate the conditions under which
you put together your list.
I decided to start a count when I saw the Brisbane Bittern and the
Brisbane Rail on the same day in the vicinity of QUT, and have so far
picked up 38 species along my 12 km commute from the southern suburbs
to the Brisbane CBD. This is somewhat less than the number of species
that are about, but there are strict rules governing the commuter count:
1. No deviation - all species must be observed while travelling along
your regular, pre-existing route - no deviating to search for
additional species is allowed.
2. No mode-switching (eg walking the route rather than cycling) to
increase your chances.
3. No slowing or stopping to search for birds - you must observe the
birds while travelling at your normal speed [which in my case is an
average of 30 clicks when I am not held up by traffic]. You can
however stop or slow to identify a bird that you have already observed
while in motion. <Mechanical failure is the only non-traffic related
reason for stopping>
4. No aids (field guides or binoculars etc) are allowed.
5. On the positive side, both audio and visual identification are
allowed.
6. The count starts/stops at your property boundary.
Commuter counting is a good challenge for a cyclist as there are plenty
of distractions [cars, pedestrians and other traffic hazards, the
tendency to drift into the zone, the need to keep the speed up, and the
difficulties of observing high-flying birds]. There would be less of a
challenge for pedestrians, but they would probably have a shorter route
and so likely to pass fewer species [ie they would observe a higher
proportion of a smaller field]. Car drivers would find the challenge a
bit hazardous. Bus and rail passengers would scope to keep an eye out
for birds while waiting for their conveyance and then be beyond
temptation while on the move ...
Anyhow, the species I have been able to pick up over the last six weeks
or so are as follows ...
brush turkey
maned duck
pacific black duck
mangrove bittern
buff-banded rail
white-faced heron
great egret
darter
white ibis
straw-necked ibis
silver gull
rock dove
spotted turtle-dove
crested pigeon galah
Pale Headed Rosella
rainbow lorikeet
scaly-breasted lorikeet
little lorikeet
laughing kookaburra
drongo
figbird
eastern whipbird
yellow-faced honeyeater noisy friarbird
black-faced cuckoo-shrike
welcome swallow
willie wagtail
peewee
magpie
pied butcherbird
torresian crow
golden-headed cistacola
silver eye
striated pardalote
mynah
peacock
european starling
-----------------
Regards, Laurie
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
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