Newcomers to Canberra might like
to know that the ‘Narrabundah’ to which Jack refers is a hill at
the western extremity of Canberra, not near the suburb of that name.
‘Narrabundah’, I
have been told, is an aboriginal name for a hawk, the ‘Hawk Theatre’
being the auditorium at Narrabundah College.
The reporting of the DWS is, I
think, at least partly a response to Julian’s helpful suggestion that
sightings be reported over the next 2-3 months to gain an idea of when (if at
all) this alleged migrant is absent from Canberra.
From: Jack and Andrea Holland
[
Sent: Monday, 4 May 2009 7:40 PM
To: Geoffrey Dabb;
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] DWSs
The
DWS has returned to the NW end of Cooleman Ridge, to a spot where it had
previously departed about a month ago (though it was still present about 1
km away up to 19/4). Probably different birds, and certainly all the
evidence clearly points to the Dusky Woodswallow being one of the last migrants
to leave the ACT, if indeed it can be labelled as a "migrant".
I suspect that it mainly is, with only a small percentage overwintering in or
close to Canberra.
It's
great to see such good numbers of this species reported on this chat line,
considering the concern that has been expressed about it being a
"decliner", though of course the reporting may be somewhat biased as
it's currently "topical".
Great
also to read of the number of finches being reported, certainly the numbers of
double bars and diamond firetails on Cooleman Ridge/Narrabundah are higher than
I've ever seen.
-----
Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, May 04, 2009
1:06 PM
Subject: [canberrabirds] DWSs
As an illustration of my earlier comment on these, at least
a half-dozen are at present circling in the still, cloudless blue above my
house, noiseless and high, although not at extreme height. I
wouldn’t have noticed them unless I looked upwards for them. The loose
flock would probably be GBSable across much of South Canberra, as well as
further afield.
