birding-aus

Re: Cocos & Christmas Island Rarities

To: <>, "Birding-aus" <>
Subject: Re: Cocos & Christmas Island Rarities
From: "Mike Carter" <>
Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2011 14:11:49 +1100
Our trip reports are not quite ready for posting but please note that it was not an Indian Roller that we saw, it was a EUROPEAN ROLLER.

As to John Leonard's email below I am sure that we all endorse the sentiments he expressed in paragraph 1. David James has again demonstrated that these island groups are not in the suggested biogeographical regions (para 2). Re para 3 on the field guide issue, I prefer complete fieldguides showing everything. On a daily basis I may get up to 4 queries on the ID of birds sent me directly (I do not go to websites) and a frequent response when I tell them it is a common bird they should know but in an uncommon plumage or place, they blame their fieldguides for letting them down! For beginners or the general public there usually are local booklets available. John's suggested title for one for Cocos & Christmas already exists 'Christmas & Cocos Keeling Islands Birding Guide' published by Island Explorer Holidays in 2008. Thirty pages long it has maps & photos and contributions from many of us. Prior to that there was Ghes Valenzuela & David James (2006), 'Christmas Island Birding Guide' a 20 page booklet by the same publisher. So the common folk are well catered for. It is us that need larger, more complete field guides not smaller. A good example has occurred today. McCrie & Watson's Birds of the Top End does not include Short-tailed Shearwater. So a shearwater seen yesterday was assumed to be a Wedge-tailed as that was listed although rare. Nevertheless, if I'm right, it was a Short-tailed!

Mike Carter
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mount Eliza  VIC 3930
Tel  (03) 9787 7136




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