Hi there,
Sorry for my delayed response - I have been away in central Australia for
the past few weeks, and pleased to return and hear that the swifties are
still around. The latest report I have is that some were out in the
vicinity of Kingsway again today flying around. There is also extensive
flowering on the south coast and other parts of the NSW so I am hoping it
will be a year jam packed full of swiftie records. Thanks to everyone who
has provided details of their sightings, it is wonderful to get so much
information and see so much enthusiasm for the species.
Interesting that a dead bird has been reported from the Queanbeyan/Captains
Flat area. Unfortunately, since these birds fly so fast, when they collide
it is often fatal rather than just a bit of bruising. If anyone sees
hazards such as wire mesh fences, windows in the vicinity of where swift
parrots are hanging out please take a moment to get something put on the
hazard so the birds can see it before they smash into it (such as flagging
tape, something to attract the birds attention and avoid the
collision). Wire mesh fences such as those around tennis courts are often
causes of swift parrot deaths. Last year when the birds were in Cook, the
neighbour adjacent to the site where the birds were for a week was more
than happy to pull an external blind over their big reflective window until
the birds had left the area.
In regard to the age of the bird that died, more distinctive features to
look for are the extensiveness of red around the face and on the undertail
coverts, as well as a dark iris. Swift Parrots don't tend to have a
prominent blue cheek and usually have a small wash of blue on the
forehead. Geoffrey Dabbs once again magnificent photos provide a good
picture of this. So my answer is, that until I get to see the bird I can't
say if it is a juvenile, but from Geoffrey's photos and other observer
reports there does seem to be some juveniles amongst the birds.
On this note, thanks so much Geoffrey for your consistently spectacular
photos that capture so much behaviour as well as the brilliant colours of
these birds. It is always wonderful to see your images and what unusual
angle you capture them at. Your photographs of the birds on the drinking
at the creek are the best ones of swifties on the ground I have ever seen
and will no doubt be invaluable to the recovery team education program.
Cheers Deb
At 10:33 AM 5/04/2005, Clifton wrote:
Hello,
I have a dead Swift Parrot in my posession. Let me tell the
story. Wanna Wanna Rd is at the top of the escarpment just east of Super
City (Qbyn), 1st Rd off the Captains Flat Rd. On 21st April 1999 I made
a tentative sighting of 6 to 8 Swift P's on the wing. I mentioned this
to a neighbour.
He rang me last night to tell me he had a Swift P that was found on Sunday
dead in his tennis court. We assume it flew into the perimeter fence of
the court. There was a report of Swift P at Regent Drive Kingsway a
couple of weeks ago; the site of this parrots demise is about 4km east of
there. Interestingly there are extensive flowering of E nortonii at both
sites.
Also interestingly, my neighbour used 2 books to identify the
deceased. They were Forshaws parrot book and the Readers Digest book and
the Swift P was on page 274 of both books. My neighbour has an eye for
detail.
About the bird; it doesn't have blue cheeks and is only faintly blue on
the crown. Could it be a juvenile?
Graeme Clifton
Debbie Saunders
Swift Parrot Recovery Officer
National Swift Parrot Recovery Team
02 6125 2635 (from November to April)
or
02 6298 9733 (from May to October -
Migratory season)
*******************************************************************************************************
This is the email announcement and discussion list of the Canberra Ornithologists Group.
List-Post: <>
List-Help: <>
List-Unsubscribe: <>
List-Subscribe: <>
To contact David McDonald, list manager, phone (02) 6231 8904 or email <>.
|
