birding-aus

A boom year for Clarence Valley, north coast NSW Storks

To: <>, "birding-aus ." <>
Subject: A boom year for Clarence Valley, north coast NSW Storks
From: Steve Roderick <>
Date: Thu, 22 Sep 2011 19:46:53 +1000
Greg,
 
  In the last 6 months there have been more than 14 sightings of Black-necked 
Storks around the Hunter Valley. Birds from singles and pairs. This is a much 
higher reproting rate than usual.
 
Maybe the Brewers will even get one this year!
 
Steve.

 

> From: 
> To: 
> Date: Thu, 22 Sep 2011 19:25:19 +1000
> CC: ; 
> Subject: [Birding-Aus] A boom year for Clarence Valley, north coast NSW Storks
> 
> We are presently in the middle of a bumper Black-necked (Satin) Stork 
> breeding season. On a trip within the Clarence Valley between Grafton and 
> Tullymorgan on September 15 we observed a total of 30 Storks. This comprised 
> 12 adults, 2 immatures-sub-adults, 9 juveniles and 7 nestlings. Juveniles are 
> birds that were hatched in 2011 and have recently fledged (left the nest) or 
> were hatched in 2010, immatures are birds hatched in 2009 and are now 
> assuming their adult plumage and soft part colours. Adults are greater than 2 
> years of age. Eight adults known to occur locally weren't seen on that day 
> and when you add the juveniles and immatures seen recently the number would 
> exceed 40 birds just in the Clarence Valley. The total state population was 
> estimated in the 1960s to be between 39 and 43 birds. 
> 
> Yesterday I visited a nest at Tullymorgan to band the 'three' nestlings that 
> were there. When I reached the level of the nest (23 m above the ground) in 
> the elevated platform (cherry picker) I was shocked to see four nestlings. I 
> only had bands for 3 as there has never been more than 3 nestlings reported 
> in New South Wales. I am hoping to return to the nest to band the fourth bird 
> but the paddock is still a little wet causing some difficulty to the cherry 
> picker (read it got bogged!!).
> 
> Prior to yesterday's banding I had only colour-banded 15 Storks and have had 
> 11 of these recovered, mostly by people noting the band colours. A Stork 
> banded as a nestling at Gilletts Ridge near Ulmarra in 2007 is now the adult 
> male at a new nest only a few kilometres from where he was hatched and 
> banded. He is now a father to one small nestling. A female bird that I banded 
> at Bulahdelah in 2009 turned up at a wetland at Coutts Crossing, where I live.
> A banded adult male Stork, banded as a nestling at Gilletts Ridge in 2008, 
> was photographed at Micalo Island, near Yamba in August.
> 
> Could anyone observing a Stork please check its legs for colour bands. The 
> bands are placed, one on each leg, above the leg joint. Please note on which 
> leg each colour is on as there are birds with the same colour combinations 
> but in the reverse order.
> 
> Dr Greg. P. Clancy
> Ecologist and Wildlife Guide
> Coutts Crossing
> NSW
> www.birdrangers.com
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