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Hi David,
Re. your request for breeding records of the Magpie
Goose in New South Wales Warren Thompson and I recorded the following last
year. On 15 July 2004 approximately 92 Magpie Geese were present at their
usual haunt at Waterview Heights. About 30 of them were adults and the
rest juveniles. The resident flock, which had numbered about 30 birds, had
been absent for a couple of months during which time Magpie Geese (? these
birds) were observed singly or in pairs or small groups scattered through the
Coldstream wetlands. When this flock turned up at Waterview Heights it
coincided with them disappearing from the Coldsteam as the wetlands dried
up. Although no nests or small goslings were observed it is
likely that they nested in the Coldstream. Russell Jago heard geese in
flight at night, including juveniles, near the Coldstream wetlands prior to
their arrival at, or return to, Waterview Heights.
Although much of this evidence is circumstantial it
strongly suggests local breeding, which would probably be the first for over 100
years in the Clarence Valley. I have slides of the adult and young geese
taken on 15 July 2004.
I presume that you have a copy of my 1985
Australian Birds paper on the Magpie Geese in New South Wales.
Regards
Greg
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