Well I finally bit the bullet and
started a GBS survey. Early days yet, but already some surprises and some useful
evidence for other thoughts.
1~ Ive had a pair or 3 weebills
and a grey shrike thrush every week. Plus also had a white plumed honeyeater
every week.
The former two were a surprise
because I consider them non-suburban birds. The Grey ST is always
silent and this may be a reason why I don’t normally notice them. The weebills
are loud, and seem to be everywhere this winter.
I always thought the white plume
was a frequently observed honeyeater at my place, but everybody used to say I
was crazy.
The house is near a park and may
be a reason for these birds.
2~ At any one time, I have had
more eastern rosellas than I expected (~8) and less crimsons (only 2-4). I think
the crimsons are common, but in pairs now. In early Winter/autumn I suspect you
would get them in larger flocks.
3~ Had even more currawongs than
I thought, between 11 and 19 at one time, each week.
4~ Have a nesting pair of
ravens, and magpies
5~ There are Superb blue fairy
wrens (3 males, 1 female), White Browed
scrubwren pair and Brown thornbill pair. I am actually surprised that more
people don’t have WB scrubwrens in their yards. I think this is more due
to the difficulty in observing them.
6~ No gang gangs, a pair of king
parrots, a kookaburra most weeks, and a pair of rainbow lorikeets every day.
7~ already up to 42 species after
only 6 weeks, with masked lapwing, woodducks, and straw necked ibis.
I encourage others to get a GBS
form and start reporting, you will find out things you didn’t know, and confirm
other things you thought were true.
Benj
Whitworth
