canberrabirds

Woodland survey - Mulligans Flat

To: "'chat line'" <>
Subject: Woodland survey - Mulligans Flat
From: "Geoffrey Dabb" <>
Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:26:12 +1000

For those who might not have noticed, Denis gained a handsome commendation in the C/Times (10 Sept) for his nature blogspot at www.peonyden.blogspot.com.  This little chatgroup has some hidden assets.

 

From: Denis Wilson [
Sent: Monday, 29 September 2008 9:15 PM
To: chat line
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Woodland survey - Mulligans Flat

 

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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