I agree with David Geering about the numbers of
regular birdwatchers giving an area “a name” for being a birding
hotspot, along with other fauna and flora. Proximity to large urban populations
has to play a huge part in giving an area a reputation for good birdwatching,
by virtue of the numbers of birdwatchers visiting. It’s so much easier to
go the next week-end if you didn’t find many birds this week-end,
whereas, where we live in S.W.Qld. it is just too far for a quick return visit
if the yearly trek just happened to be those days when birds aren’t being
very cooperative.
We now have an “official” bird list of
over 190 and Ian’s personal list is over 200. Rainfall, or lack of, out
here in this semi-arid part of the country plays a huge part in the numbers of bird
species Thus far we haven’t had any birdwatchers stay when all the
Bluebush swamps are full and once we do I’d reckon our bird list would
exceed well over Ian’s 208.
The B-breasted Buzzard chick has fledged and the
Collared Sparrowhawk is only days away as it’s really giving the wings a
good workout in the nest.
Julie McLaren
