White-throated Needletail (Hirundapus caudacutus) Report for 2014/15
Season.
Well October is here and many in the north will make their first
observations of Needletails during this month. The first sighting
has already been sent in.
Again your records for the past season indicate that the extremes of
weather did correlate with unusual swift behaviour. Needletails
delayed their arrival to much of Victoria apparently remembering the
extreme heat and dry of the previous season. They were very scarce
over the forests where I usually find them. What will the weather
present this season?
The 2,876 reported sightings are 294 more than finally received last
season. Thank you very much for this extra effort.
The major reason for the decline in this species is the increasing
(largely illegal logging) of the forests in Siberia, where our birds
breed. While China takes most of the timber, “Lumber Liquidaters” of
USA fame are being charged with knowingly buying illegally logged
timber from this area.
It appears one or two birds over-wintered last year. Richard Ashby
saw a single bird in Tas on 3.6.2014. A single bird was also seen
on 1.8.2014 in Qld by Nicolas Rakotopare. Six were also reported to
Barbara Jones from Sth NSW 16th August, 4 were seen in the Hunter
29th August by John Cockerell. The first probable migrants were 2
birds seen at Richardson, NSW by Ben Walmsley, 28.9.2014.
The first report from Qld was a single bird seen at Lake Barrine by
Alan Gillanders 9th Oct. The first seen in Victoria were flocks of 5
and 15 seen by myself at the Thurra River Rest Area in East Gippsland
10 Nov. The first reported sighting for Tasmania was of 3 birds seen
by Alice Liddell and sent in by Stephen Walsh. The first sighting
from South Aus. was made by Rick Nash 6th Mar. the only other
sighting from SA was of 3 birds seen by Bob Moffatt 1st Apr on the
Coorong.
There were 0 (0 last year) reports from the NT this season. There
was 1 record from WA (0 last year) – a single bird on Cocos, 2 (3)
records from SA, 34 (25) from ACT, 64 (23) from TAS, 766 (716) from
Qld, 505 (343) from Vic, & 1535 (1233) from NSW.
With needletails again clumping more than is usual in NSW, three
flocks of 2,000 birds or more were recorded compared to last years
five. There were seven sightings of a thousand or more birds.
The average flock size this season was 42. This compares with 43 for
the previous year. These figures are lower than the mean of 52 for
the last decade. So not even the clumping caused by the extrememly
hot dry weather in southern and central Australia, was able to raise
the mean flock size.
A paper on the decline of this species was published in Australian
Field Ornithology last year, so if you are interested to see more of
what we have learnt from your collective observations, check this
paper out.
OK so who reported the most Needletail sightings this season? If you
live in a city most of your sightings are going to come while
driving, away from home. If you live in the forest, you will see
them more often around home. If you live in the forest and
deliberately go outside throughout the day to look for Needletails,
then you will see lots more. That’s where Irene lives and that is
what she does. So once again the top recorder for the season was
Irene Allan, making 165 sightings, a few less than she did last
year. Irene has made an important contribution to understanding the
birds behaviour and numbers. If you reported just one sighting
however, that is also an important contribution, as 256 of this
seasons sightings were lone reports from persistent reporters. That
is a significant proportion of the seasons sightings. So please keep
them coming. Paul Griffin reported 80 flocks, Mike Tarburton 68,
Jenny Stiles 67, David Charley 64, Phil Murray 58, Sarah Beavis 54,
Adrian Dick 53, Chris Healey 38, Peter Alexander 34, Tim Morris 33,
Greg Clancy 32, Peter Barrand 30, Peter Southcott 29, Chris Attewell
28, Len & Jackie Axen 28, Robert Dougherty 27, Dave Flumm 26, If you
want to see who reported less than 25 flocks, you can see that in the
following list. Of interest is that Lydia Jamieson, a very young
recruit, spotted 2 flocks before her parents, while driving in the
countryside.
Thanks again to all those who have taken the trouble to send me your
sightings. It does not matter whether you sent in 1 report or more
than 100, they are all useful in helping determine the WTNT
population status and defining other aspects of their behaviour.
Remember to check out the big Picture in Australian Field
Ornithology. If you do not receive this useful journal you can
download just this paper from the very bottom of this web page:
http://www.swiftsoftheworld.info/spplist.htm
A big thank you is due to local bird club officals who have forwarded
sightings from their members – very much appreciated.
Thank you & happy swift watching in the coming season.
Mike Tarburton
I thank all these contributors:
ABBOTT, Carol (3), ADAMS, D. (3), ADAMS, Jack (4), AIREY, Jackson
(1), AKERS, David (1), ALCORN, Richard & Margaret (1), ALEXANDER,
Peter (34), ALLAN, Irene (132), ALLAN, Robert (1), ALLEN, Andrew (1),
ALLEN, Mark (1), ALLEN, Richard (2), ALLSOP, Jen (4), ALLSOP, John.
(18), ALPS, Bernardo (1), ANDERSON, Andy (1), ANDERSON, David. (2),
ARMISTEAD, Rod (1), ARNOLD, Richard (1), ASHBY, Richard (2), ASHFORD,
Bob (1), ASHTON, Louise (1), ASHTON, Tony (1), ATTEWELL, Chris, (28),
AVERY, David (1), AXEN, Len & Jackie (28), AYRES, Mark (6), BAILEY,
Jaron (1), BAKER Tony (4), BANCROFT, Tom (2), BARNES, Chris (16),
BARRAND, Peter (30), BARRETT, Jo. (1), BARWELL, Graham (2), BAUER,
Trevor (1), BAWDEN, Tim (5), BEARDMORE, Roger (1), BEAVIS, Sarah
(54), BECKER, Freddie (1), BECKER, Ron (9), BEDGGOOD, W. (1).
BELLING, Neil (1), BENHAM, Lewis (1), BENSON, Alan (7), BENSON, Ian
(6), BERGMARK, Joshua (7), BERNARD, Kris (1), BERZINS, Leo (1),
BIELEWICZ, Julian & Fay (9), BINNS, Mark (1), BIRKHEAD, Joseph (3),
BIRD, Bentley (1), BISCHOFF, Tony (12), BISHOP, David (1), BLEMINGS,
Rosemary (1), BOND, Emma (4), BOOTH, Cliff (7), BORTOLUSSI, Greg (1),
BOUNDS, Jenny (1), BOYD, Glen (2), BRADY, Shane (1), BRAITHWAITE,
David (1), BRANDIS, Christopher (10), BRANDWOOD, Keith (2),
BRECKENRIDGE, Max (6), BROOKS, Paul (7), BROSIE, Grant (2), BRUCE,
Niel (5), BUCKBY, Mark (1), BUGEJA, Vince (4), BULLOCK, Graeme (1),
BURCHER, Paul (6), BURGMANN, M&J (3), BURWELL, Chris (1),
BUTTERFIELD, Martin (1), BYSOUTH, Mike (2), CACHARD, Martin (1),
CALLAWAY, Ryu (1), CAMERON, D. (1), CAMERON, Margaret (2), CANNING,
Bill (1), CAREW, Arthur & Denise (3), CAREY, Mark (1), CARLSON,
Ashley (6), CARPENTIER, Corinne (4). CARSON, Nick (7), CARTER, Mark
(6), CASBURN, Jean (1), CHARLEY, David (64), CHEERS, Garry (1),
CHEERS, Michael (1), CHICKSEN, Mal (4), CHILD, Rob (2), CLANCY, Greg
(32), CLARK, David (1), CLARK, Garry (1), CLARK, Kathy (2), CLARK,
Rae (7), CLARKE, Rohan (5), CLARKE, Thomas (3), CLAYTON, Mark (2),
CLAYTON, Simon (5), CLELAND, Evan (4), CLIFFORD, Carl (1), COCKERELL,
John (4), COLE, Christen (1), COLLINS, B. (2), COMAN, Frank (1),
CONNOR, Mike (1), CONOLE, Lawrie (1), COOPER, Dick (1), CORRICK,
Andrew (2), COUSIN, JA (1), COUSLAND, Malcolm (2), CRANE, Peter (1),
CRAWFORD, Liz (12), CREBER, Steven (1), CROSS, Linda (3), CULICAN, Jo
& Matt (6), CURSON, Clive (2), CURTIS, (2), D. Christine (1),
DALIMORE, D. (1), DALY, Gus (14), DANIEL, Kate (1), DAVIDSON, Steven
(6), DAVY, Eileen (1), DAWE, Tony (1), DEANS, Brian (1), DEANS,
Stewart & Dianne (1), DENHAM, Lian (1), DESPOT, Peter (1), DICK,
Adrian (53), DILLINGHAM, Colin & Peter (1), DOOLEY, Sean (1),
DOUBIKIN, John L. (2), DOUBIKIN, John W. (3), DOUGHERTY, Robert (27),
DOWDEN, Nina (1), DOYLE, Paul (1), DRAKE-BROCKMAN, Penny (1), DRAKE,
Alistair & Carmen (2), DRISCOLL, Colin (2), DUNNETT, Gary (1),
EASTON, Clive (10), EDVARDSON, Martin (1), EDWARDS, Steve (1),
ENDERS, Barney (1), ENGEL, Deryk (1), EVANS, Andrew & Andrea (2),
EVANS, PA, (4), EVERTS, Fiona (1), EWIN, J&D, (1), EWIN, Peter (1),
EYLES, Dan (2), EZZY, Len & Chris (2), FAWCETT, Adam (2), FELSTEAD,
Mike (3), FENNELL, Paul (1), FERGUSON, Alex (2), FERGUSON, Patricia
(3), FERGUSON, Hickson (2), FIELD, Liz (1), FIELD, Mark (1), FINLEY,
Eric (4), FISHER, Keith & Lindsay (4), FITZPATRICK, Gio (1),
FITZSIMONS, James (3), FLETCHER, Tom. (1), FLUMM, Dave (26), FORD,
Stewart (1), FORD, Trevor (3), FORD, Val (1), FOWLER, D. (1), FRAZER,
Duncan (4), FRAZER, Stuart (1), FREEMAN, M&B (1), FREY, Michael (5),
FRY, Adam (8), FULLAGAR, Peter (2), FULLER, Mark (4), FULLER, Richard
(5), FUNNELL, Dominic (1), GABLE, Matthew (1), GALLIENNE, Sandra (6),
GARDNER, Rod (13), GAUDION, Rob (1), GIBSON, Tony (8), GILBERT, T
(2), GILFEDDER, Mat. (10), GILLANDERS, Alan (20), GILLER, Roger (1),
GOLDIE, J. (1), GOODWIN, Jason (15), GOODYEAR, Gavin (10), GORTA,
Simon (9), GOSPER, D&S (4), GOURLEY, Terry (1), GRANT, Murray (11),
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(3), GRIFFIN, Paul (80), GRIFFIN, Robert (1), GRIMSHAW, P. (3),
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(2), MAMBENE, Jack (1), HAMILTON, Robert & James (3), HAMON, M.R.
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Julia (4), HUDSPITH, Nerida (4), HUGHES, M.C. (1), HUMPHRIS, Neil
(1), HUNT, Mitch (2), HUNT, Steve (6), HUNTER, Michael (2), HYNSON,
Robert, (1), INGWERSEN, Dean (3), JACKETT, Carla (2), JACKETT, Nigel
(1), JACOBSON, Paul (3), JAGO, Russell (3), JAMES, MAX (4), JAMES, N
(1), JAMIESON, Katrina (6), JAMIESON, Lydia (2), JARMAN, T (1),
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Brian. (1), JOHNSON, Lorne (7), JOHNSTONE, Richard (3), JONES, I.
(1), JONES, Paul (4), JONES, Barbara (2), JONES, Lindy (1), JORDAN,
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(1), KNIGHT, Laurie (3), KNOWLER, Don (1), KNOWLES, Susan (1), KOK,
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(1), LALONDE, Logan (2), LAMB, Russ. (24), LAND, J.G. (1), LANGRAND,
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(9), LEYS, Chris & Ryan (2), LIDDELL, Alice (1), LIEL-BROWN, Debra
(1), LINDSAY, Kurtis (3), LISHMUND, Owen (3), LISTER, Marie (1),
LITTLE, Greg (1), LONERGAN, Noel (1), LONG, Douglas (1), LONG, Rohan
(3), LORD, Murray (1), LOUIS, B. (2), LUKIN-AMUNDSEN, Judith (4),
LUMNITZER, Åkos (3), LYELL, Marlene (1), LYNCH, Paul (3), MACDONALD,
Bill (3), MACKAY, B.L. (1), MACKERASS, Alison (4), MACNAMARA, Tony
(1), MANCE, M.J. (1), MANNING, H.E. (4), MARTIN, Alistair (1), MASON,
Lee (1), MASON, R (1), MASON, Tiffany (1), MASTERS, Gavin (16), MAY,
Ian (1), McALLAN, Ian (15), McCONNELL, Pat (14), McDONELL, Rob (1),
McDOUGALL, Andrew (1), McKANE, Eula (2), McLACHLAN, Greg (6), McNABB,
Ed & Susie (7), McQUINN, Barry (2), MEADOWS, Clive (7), MELROSE,
Christine (3), MELVILLE, James (1), MERIGAN, Rosalie (3), MERRETT,
Steve (1), MESSER, Cecily (1), MIDDLETON, Kathy & Graeme (9),
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MOFFITT, Garry (1), MOHAMMED, Reza (1), MONTGOMERY, Ian. (2), MOONEY,
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NEILL, Greg (5), NEUMANN, Julie (2), NEWMAN, John (2), NEWMAN, Mike
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(6), OLLEY, Jan (3), OVERACKER, Doug (1), PALMER, Des (4), PALMER,
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STUART, Alan (3), STUART, David (4), SULLIVAN, Brian (7), SULIVAN,
Luke (2), SUTCLIFFE, M. (1), SWAN, Roy (4), SWART, Kotie (1),
SYMMONS, Chris (1), SZUCS, Lorand (1), TACON, Jillian (1), TAGGART,
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TARRANT, Tom. (1), TAYLOR, Andrew (2), TAYLOR, Paul (2), TEH, Julian
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TIMEWELL, C. (1), TOMKINSON, Donna (1), TRAINOR, Kaye (2), TRANTER,
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TURNER, Paul (3), TYNAN, Brian (5), VALENTINE, Peter (1), VAN DOORN,
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WALKER, Andy (6), WALKER, Robin (5), WALKER, Shealagh (6), WALMSLEY,
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WATERMAN, M. (4), WATSON, Chris (1), WEBBER, Jodi & Richard (4),
WEDDERBURN, Bruce (1), WEEKS, Matt. (6), WHARTON, Joan (3),
WHITFIELD, Brett (4), WHITING, Jack (10), WHYLIE Brooke (2), WIEGEL,
John (1), WILEY, Chris. (6), WILK, Kathy (7), WILLIAMS, Joy (1),
WILLIS, Michael (5), WILSON, Frank & Lennice (1), WILSON, Tom. (18),
WINSOR, Heather (1), WINTERBOTTOM (3), WNOROWSKI, Ted (1), WOHLMUTH,
Hans (2), WOOD, Michael (10), WOODING, Lois (1), WRIGHT, Ian (1),
WYATT, Jack (1), WYLLIE, Patrick (7), YONG, Russell (2), YOUNG,
Catherine (2), YOUNG, Mark (1)., ZEALEY, Joan (1), ZNIDERSIC, Liz
(1), ZVING, Shelly (1).
===================
Michael Tarburton
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