Like Duncan I have often watched the Straw-necked and Oz ibis in action on
farmland but more out west. Last August I had the sheer pleasure of watching
literally thousands return to a diminished Lake Cargellico after their daily
agricultural toil. The back drop of brilliant sunsets gave their appearance out
of the western sky the flavour of the flight of the valkaryrie.
More prosaic investigation the following day found them systematically drilling
fields in organised foraging lines. The larvae/insect reduction of a couple of
hundred birds per field per day would be impressive enough without the
efficiency of their constant nitrogen deposits and direct drilling. The only
deposits from chemical sprays are leaky crankcases and carbon/particulates.
Peter's points about who are the real ferals is well taken and a constant
source of interest when dealing with the jihad against the Indian Miner. We
have some comprehensive gas chambers and cages being promoted to
Landcare/Bushcare local government and uncle tom cobbly. What proof there is
that this bird actually does anything other than expand into habitat niches
created by another feral's obsession with concrete is unclear. I remember a
Johannesburg ornithologist telling a seminar that if Jo-burgers removed all the
Indian Miners they would have no bird song at all as nothing else could live in
the suburbs. Perhaps its just their suspicious middle eastern appearance?
My suburban backyard brooks no Acridotheres tristris as we have that
unproblematic native - Manorina melanchephala doing what it has always done
naturally.......
Just so I don't get the wrong label for these comments I have to euthanase
ferals on a regular basis because my licence requires it - not always because
there is much science to why they are a problem.
Chris Lloyd
Training Officer
WIRES
PO Box 260
Forestville NSW 2087
==============================www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
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