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Canberra Ornithologists Group forum
members.
Most of this report is a bit "out of area",
but I hope you find it of interest. There is a comment on expansion of Peaceful
Dove populations into Canberra which is strictly topical.
I went to Appin, yesterday, on the edge of
the Sydney Sandstone region (only about 20 Km south of Campbelltown, but in
Sydney sandstone Banksia country, not the boring habitat of the Cumberland
Plains).
There were large numbers of Honeyeaters
present. Yellow-faced seen initially, along the edge of the Cataract River
gorge, (technically Douglas Park), plus Spinebills, and Little Wattlebirds. The
YFHEs were very vocal, doing their full (multi-note descending "chip, chip,
chip" calls), as well as their "feeding" harsh single note calls.
Then we went 10 Km to Appin (Georges River).
Many Banksias (spinulosa type and also B. serrata), plus Grevilleas arenaria and
another red-flowered Toothbrush type. All these were in flower, plus some
Eucalypts. Lots of nectar available is the point. Yellow-faced, Yellow-tufted, New Holland Honeyeaters all
present, plus Little Wattlebirds, Spinebills and on the ridges, Noisy Miners.
Interestingly, given the numbers of YF, no White-naped HE were seen or
heard.
Much to my excitement, I saw a pair of
Peaceful Doves in dense shrubbery close to the River (across the river from me,
so the photo is recognisable, not great quality). I have not seen these birds in
20 years or more. I have noted that they have been reported frequently on the
COG forum, of late. Another sign of global warming, perhaps? When I was growing
up in Canberra, I never saw Peaceful Doves any closer to Canberra than Forbes. I
wonder if they are they following the same pattern of population expansion as
the Crested Pigeons?
Back to the house on the ridge at Douglas
Park, the Noisy Miners had moved in, but a pair of King Parrots
were happily munching on the berries of the Wild Tobacco (Solanum
mauritanicum?), and a beautifully plumaged male Pied Butcherbird came into the
trees, and when offered some scraps of bread, dived down to the railing of the
deck to consume that. Not a very fussy bird, I thought. I know they love cheese,
but was surprised that it took dry bread. Impact of the vegetarian householder's
restricted diet?
Final note was that 8 YT Black Cockies flew
out of the Cataract River Gorge to land in a pine tree behind the house, for a
late afternoon feed, and in the case of the juveniles, to happily sing their
sad, miserable, persistent groaning noises.
Denis Wilson
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