I walked Callum Brae this morning and got out of the car to a group of four
Sitellas so things looked good. The reserve is in the best shape it has been
since I've been going there (4 years or so) but there are still way to many
roos.
Great work by Parks on the weeds - all the Serrated Tussock that were sprayed
have died and I only found one live one which I pulled out (am I allowed to?
- not that I care either way) and one dead fox - I presume lead poisoning.
Not many little birds around just heaps of rosellas and noisy miners in the
actual reserve itself. Further to the South (south east?) as I walked I
heard Rufous Whistlers and a couple of WT Gerygones and finally found a mixed
feeding flock of little ones at the power lines (I'm not sure if I was still
in the reserve at this time or trespassing as there are no signs). The usual
thornbills and up to six Speckled Warblers. Eventually found a magic patch
including numerous vocal Jacky Winters (at least 8 in an acre or so), a pair
of Whitefaces amongst all the other little critters on the ground (woo hoo I
finally got to hear them!), a Shrike-tit (calling also! a strange guttural
grinding or clicking included) and Dusky Woodswallows everywhere.
No Treecreepers, Firetails or Hooded Robins (or Doves!) although the habitat
seemed perfect! Didn't hear or see an Oriole, Kookaburra or Butcherbird
either.
One small flock of migrating White-naped HE with a flock of Yellow-faced hot
on their tails. A few White-plumed and plenty of Brown-headed HE in spots.
Didn't see any holes in the creek banks but there were plenty of Striated
Pardalotes going in and out of hollows. A few BFCS and some Mistletoe birds
but not many.
Great views of a perched pair of adult wedgies (the only raptors seen) behind
the quarry too - might be nest somewhere around.
Got back to the car and heard some Double Bars to top it off.
Cheers, Alex.
-----Original Message-----
From: Geoffrey Dabb
Sent: Wednesday, 21 September 2005 12:08 PM
To:
Subject: Migrants
Waking with the rising sun beaming into the room, and a cloudless sky, I
thought "Don't worry about taking back the videos; this is the morning for
the quarterly (Spring) bird survey in Symonston."
And a splendid morning it proved for walking the slopes and the somewhat
soggy flats. It was as green as Ireland. I foresee a looming summer debate
about the management of growth in the near-urban reserves.
There were no Yellow-faced Honeyeaters on Callum Brae, but lots on the other
side of Mugga Lane (where I find small numbers throughout the year), along
with quite a few Brown-headed. Overall the only migrants I encountered,
setting aside the transient honeyeaters and Silvereyes, were Rufous
Whistlers, an oriole, and a small number of White-throated Gerygones -
perhaps 4 or 5 - calling loudly as they foraged in the regrowth.
I do not regard Mistletoebirds, DWSs or BFCSs as migrants, because I find
them regularly throughout the year. There are as many ideas about what a
'migrant' is as there are birdwatchers. When there is an agreed unambiguous
definition of 'migrant' I shall conform to it, but until then I shall feel
no squeamishness about applying my own.
As to breeding activity, I saw no sign that the year is exceptional: a lot
of squabbling over hollows, although the wood ducks seem to have selected
theirs; two pairs of Striated Pardalotes preferring the bank of an erosion
gully to tree cavities (perhaps we are in for some high winds); a pair of
kestrels copulating, and another pair chasing a kookaburra; and 5 choughs
all trying to sit on the one nest.
Geoffrey Dabb
email :
ph/fax : 02 6295 3449
*****************************************************************************
**************************
|
