canberrabirds

Re: On counting Grebes at the Fyshwik Sewage Ponds (FSP)

To: "chat line" <>
Subject: Re: On counting Grebes at the Fyshwik Sewage Ponds (FSP)
From: "Michael & Janette Lenz" <>
Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2007 19:45:13 +1000
Steve and Prue and Martin,
 
 Steve's and Prue's and my counts would indicate at least for the Aust. Grebe stable numbers over that April period, very good.
 
Regarding Martin's question whether time of day may have an impact. Well, it may, but what I found was that if I approach the ponds very cautiously and count from a distance, I always get a lower number. Some birds dive, others keep  to the edges etc.  But if I get close enough that the birds are just "alarmed", they all stay on the water and come out and keep a watching eye on me. And this scenario gives me as a rule a higher count.
 
The story is a bit different for the Blue-billed Ducks, but it takes some time and counting repeatedly before I think I have the full number of birds present. First count is usually well below the final total, especially for females.
 
The other thing of note at FSP at the moment is the steep decline in numbers of Hardheads, very much the same at the Bungendore S.P. , although I don't have actual counts from there.
 
The other message from these changes in recent times is really, that regular counts/monitoring at the FSP would be valuable (as suggested some time ago),  this may prove to be our best "wetland" for some time to come.
 
Michael Lenz
 
 
 
 
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