Hello all,
At lunch today I received a rather
energetic knock at the door. Getting up, I was faced by local birding identity
Tom Wheller (of Plains-wanderer photo fame). He had
received word of a pair of Cape Barron Geese present in a local park in inner Deniliquin. The two of us visited the site to see the pair
happily walking at waters edge, feeding in the grass (introduced).
Cape Barron Geese are said to
be vagrants to southwest NSW, 1955-56, 1966, 1973
(HANZAB). These birds were checked for leg bands – not present, nor any
other human-placed marking, thus eliminating that they may be from the Kyabram Fauna Park (approx. 150km southeast). The birds were also
observed in flight earlier this morning, suggesting their wings had not been
clipped, a practice used by local keepers who may have the birds in their
collection.
During the course of the day
a number of locals visited the pair to have a look. It is amazing how numbers
flock to something different/unusual, regardless whether they be bird watchers from one extreme to the other. On my
evening run (1800hrs), I passed by the park just to check if they were still
about. They were there still happily grazing.
Also
observed during visits to local dams, a pair of Musk Duck, the male displaying
to the female. Other waterbirds about included Chestnut and Grey Teal, Black
Duck, Wood Duck, Australasian Shoveler, Australian Shelduck, Mallard, Hardhead, Hoary-headed Grebe, Australasian
Grebe, Sacred Ibis, White-faced Heron.
Cheers
David Parker
Deniliquin NSW
