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Bit late out of the starting block
but....
My Blitzing on Saturday morning was very enjoyable, and
the highlight (more of a highlight before I knew everyone else was seeing them
all over the ACT!!!) was a flock of 300+ woodswallows at the top of Fitz's Hill
on the Boboyan Road. They were mainly perched in the branches of dead trees when
I surveyed in the morning at around 9 am, which allowed me a pretty good
estimate of proportions - 60% White-browed, 40% Masked. Every so often something
would put them up briefly and they'd circle around before returning to the
trees, giving me my 300+ estimate of numbers. On my return at about 1 pm
they were mainly feeding in the prolifically flowering eucalypts scattered about
the slopes. They certainly looked fairly settled in that location for the
time being.
Other comments:
Fewer breeding records than I was anticipating. DY
White-browed Scrubwrens in a few places, and a pair of Little Raven with
fledglings obviously just out of the nest at the Nursery Swamp car park.
Starling chicks heard from within dead tree trunks at several
places.
A pair of Pallid Cuckoos at the Nursery Swamp car park,
and Horsfield's Bronze at a couple of sites, were my only
cuckoos.
Rufous Songlarks very evident in the valleys around
Naas.
Two Latham's Snipe once again at the creek/seepage way
near the Nursery Swamp car park.
No raptors until the day warmed up (I only had
until 2 pm for surveying), but eventually picked up kestrel, Brown Falcon,
hobbies and Wedgie.
Harvey
Perkins
CRC Selection Rounds Section
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Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and
Research
Well, weren’t we blessed with the
weather for blitz 5. Despite dire predictions, the weather could not have been
much nicer for most of the weekend. If only the rain had held off just an hour
or two longer on the Sunday … A heartfelt “thank you” to all who got out and
surveyed their special spots, and especially to those who have already returned
their datasheets. I’m already inundated but will catch up in time. Highlights so
far have been the influx of woodswallows. Re the question about estimating
numbers, just do your best. In the grand scheme of things, there is not a lot of
difference between 500 and 600. Re inability to distinguish between the
White-browed and Masked at a great height, just put a note on your datasheet
that it was woodswallow sp. I have yet to investigate but there may be a generic
code I can use. Most fortunately the 20 I observed were perched on a dead tree
along the Cotter
Rd and enabled close inspection. All were
White-browed, and their colours in the late afternoon sun were a sheer delight.
To those who have not yet returned your datasheets, I look forward to receiving
them shortly. And do come to the November COG meeting to collect your “thank
you” for participating in the blitz – a native plant, courtesy of Greening
Australia, plus a chance to win a variety of prizes - books, paintings,
photographs, cards, a Christmas pudding etc etc. I’ll post periodic blitz
result updates to this chat line from time to time, as I wade my way through the
data. Cheers, Barbara
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