So where does the winter influx of Willie Wagtails to northern and outback NSW
and Queensland emanate from? Not it would appear from lowland areas of southern
Victoria as might be assumed. Perhaps it is an altitudinal rather than a
latitudinal movement.
I say that because an analysis of the fluctuation of bird numbers at Melbourne
Water's Eastern Treatment Plant (where it is a common resident bird) over the
years 1998-2011 by Sudbury & Carter showed that numbers of Willie Wagtails
present during winter were slightly higher than those in summer and were double
those in spring when numbers were lowest. There were two peaks in numbers, a
very marked one in September and another in April perhaps suggesting a spring
and autumn passage. So on a very small scale, I would also regard them as
winter visitors to SE Melbourne!
Cheers,
Mike Carter, 03 9787 7136
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mount Eliza, VIC 3930, Australia
-----Original Message-----
From: Birding-Aus On Behalf Of
Greg and Val Clancy
Sent: Monday, 13 July 2015 5:24 PM
To: Greg and Val Clancy
Cc: Birding-aus
Subject: Willie Wagtail migration
Further to our recent discussion on Willie Wagtail migration I have been
counting numbers of the species on recent day trips. On a trip from Coutts
Crossing to Shark Creek then Tullymorgan on 18 June we counted a total of 24
WWs, on 20 June from Coutts Crossing to Tucabia then to Minnie Water and return
we counted 10; on 25 June from Coutts Crossing to the Coldstream wetlands and
Tucabia we recorded 58 WWs, 15 of them on the Tucabia sportsfield; on 2 July
from Coutts Crossing to Jackadgery then back to Grafton and on to Ulmarra we
had 40 WW.
Other species that have increased numbers in our area during the autumn-winter
months are the Restless Flycatcher, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, White-bellied
Cuckoo-shrike and Grey Shrike-thrush however the increases in the Flycatcher
and Shrike-thrush numbers are not high.
Regards
Greg
Dr Greg. P. Clancy
Ecologist and Birding-wildlife Guide
| PO Box 63 Coutts Crossing NSW 2460
| 02 6649 3153 | 0429 601 960
http://www.gregclancyecologistguide.com
http://gregswildliferamblings.blogspot.com.au/
-----Original Message-----
From: Greg and Val Clancy
Sent: Monday, June 15, 2015 5:08 PM
To: martin cachard ; Lloyd Nielsen ;
Subject: Willie Wagtail migration
Hi Martin,
I observe groups, usually scattered individuals, in a variety of habitats from
the edge of grazing paddocks, on fences and roads, as well as along gravel
roads in state forests. Roads seem to be an attraction but then I am usually
driving along the roads, although if they were gathering away from
roads I would also see them there at times. Unfortunately I haven’t
recorded these observations in any systematic way but most roads in open
country and lightly forested country seem to have these birds. I have just
finished 3 months work in northern New South Wales which involved driving many
back roads. Willie Wagtails were a common sight along many of them, often
foraging on the road and flying to a perch nearby as we drove by. I will note
the numbers and locations of them in the future as it would be good to document
this regular irruption. Like Lloyd I have also seen them spread along roads
spaced at about 100 m from each other.
Regards
Greg
Dr Greg. P. Clancy
Ecologist and Birding-wildlife Guide
| PO Box 63 Coutts Crossing NSW 2460
| 02 6649 3153 | 0429 601 960
http://www.gregclancyecologistguide.com
http://gregswildliferamblings.blogspot.com.au/
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