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Hi Jack
Thanks for the thought provoking
bulletin.
You commented: Both gerygones were present as is usual.
It reminded me of being with my father, bird
banding in the Campbell shooting range area, back in the early 1960s when
we caught the first ever Western Gerygone ("Western Warbler" then) seen in
Canberra.
Now their presence is regarded as
"normal".
Similar comments could be made about the
Crested Pigeons, (perhaps our most successful recent invader?) I remember that
one would never see them in Canberra, but driving to Cowra or Parkes you would
see them routinely. The same could be said about Superb Parrots, Peaceful Doves,
and many other species.
By contrast, Brown Tree Creepers and Hooded
Robins were common there, back in the "good old days".
Now, whether these trends are due to global
warming (if so, it has been far more gradual and longer standing trend than most
people acknowledge) or else land clearing - such issues are speculative.
But whatever the reason, the facts are clear.
I am glad that COG has an extensive records
system to keep track of these things, for memories such as mine eventually go
fuzzy. But Philip and the other keepers of the records have something permanent
and important.
I know am sounding terribly old, (which I am
not - I just started young - younger even than Tobias) - but it is all true.
By the way, Mark Clayton was another
youngster, but I started just a bit earlier than he did. So I look forward to
many years of future contributions from Tobias.
Cheers
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