Oops, hit send before writing anything on the previous message. I was just
going to put in a good word for the much-maligned bird callers. While I
can't claim to have got much, if any, use out mine over this way, further
west it has worked a treat on grasswrens and emuwrens. During a trip to SA &
Vic in late 2004 we had 2 Striated Grasswrens (at Gluepot) run to within 3
metres of us, after coming from at least 50 metres away, apparently in
response to the bird caller. The trick seems to be to make the highest
pitched noise possible. It worked again on this sp at Gluepot and at Hattah,
also at Hattah we twice got close looks at Mallee Emuwrens using the same
technique. However, the callers finest moment came at Stokes Hill Lookout in
the Flinders Ranges. On a day when we later heard it was 45 celsius at Port
Augusta and a howling westerly was blowing dust into my face, I gave a
couple of not very enthusiastic squeaks on the caller and within 2 seconds a
Short-tailed Grasswren popped out from the spinifex. So they do work
sometimes.
cheers
Steve
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