|
In my "Canberra Birds: A Report on the first 21
years of the Garden Bird Survey" (i.e. the 21 Year GBS Report), I included
in the text for the Common Koel the following: "This
cuckoo has arrived here increasingly in recent years...... including many with
repeat observations and some of two birds. Records are overstated a bit as one
noisy male can be widely recorded. Their call is loud, far-carrying and
distinctive and observers seek them out when told they have been noted nearby,
so many observations are from the bird heard calling. ......... No
breeding records - yet."
I feel like celebrating the
likely inevitable redundancy of the bold font part this statement (assuming the
bold comes through, the No breeding records - yet). So, in a exercise of what
might be evidence of my own silliness or generosity or just for fun, I will
provide a prize of a free copy of the third (2006) edition of my GBS Report to
the first person to document a successful breeding of the Koel or Channel-billed
Cuckoo (one only) within Canberra or Queanbeyan suburban limits. It needs to be
an undoubted identification of a dependant juvenile or a well advanced
nestling. It also needs to be verified by more than one other independent
person. A photograph that may have been taken anywhere or at another time is not
evidence for this purpose unless the photo can be verified to place and time.
This offer remains until
the end of April 2008 unless I extend it, whilst stocks
last.
Philip
| 