Chelsworth Park

[Greg Oakley <>]

Ricki,

You have outlined, correctly of course, the negative influence that introduced species have on our native environment. It is an obvious sentiment that I’m sure would be echoed among everyone on this list...

But, by describing the bulbul as “best” was not a reflection of any personal affection for them (or any other feral), simply just an indication of how rare they are in Melbourne.

Maybe I should have said “worst” !!

Greg
> G'day Greg and Nature Lovers
>  
> Greg, I'm pretty sure that you're not a member of that august body; the Victorian Acclimatisation Society, so I'll write openly ;o). 
>  
> It took three attempts to get the Rabbit successfully introduced to Australia. I've had several sightings of the Red-whiskered Bulbul in the Royal National Park, on the southern outskirts of Sydney and this species resides in large numbers in remnant bushland on the shores of Botany Bay. It is quite well established in gardens of the Sydney region generally.
>  
> Like all birds, the Red-whiskered Bulbul is feeding and nesting so it is competing and having an environmental impact. Unless there is some very unique form of resource partitioning taking place, for every bulbul you see, it is very likely that you are not seeing a native species. 
>  
> I doubt that there is anyone on this list, myself included, who would argue that the Red-whiskered Bulbul is not a very attractive species with a delightful song (it's rid-ic-ulous) and engaging behaviour. I'll come out of the closet now and state that I actually think the same for the most excellent Indian Mynah and gorgeous little House Sparrow. However, introduced plants and animals are strangling the native flora and fauna of this country. Much as it saddens me to promote the idea of killing any creature, I believe that we have a responsibility to rid our shores of bulbuls (and Indian Mynahs), like any other feral species, and no reasonable argument to the contrary can be sustained.
>  
> Having stated all that and given that I never make a report on this list of feral sightings, I appologise for attempting to impose my standard of reporting on daily observations upon you.
>  
>  
> Ricki
> Broome Bird Observatory WA
>  
> www.ricki.bigpondhosting.com <http://www.ricki.bigpondhosting.com>