Seasonal? matters, plus goshawks at Callum Brae

[sandra henderson <>]

Last weekend I went out to Namadgi VC, and although it was rather quiet in the windy conditions, we did encounter flock of crimson rosellas - I counted 18 as they flew overhead - which is the largest single flock of those I've seen. there were quite a number of noisy friarbirds, but no woodswallows at all.

The COG outing to FSP last weekend got a look at an Australasian grebe on a nest, as well as a family with 3 tiny chicks on the water, and there seemed to be a lot of other youngish grebes about.
 

during the week I visited Callum Brae, and although fairly quiet, there were 4 brown goshawks together.  Same general area as I saw a pair displaying in early Dec, and it would appear the pair have raised 2 youngsters. After two unpleasant encounters in past years I didn't go too close to the tree from which one of the adults was giving alarm call.  for those interested they were in large tree just within the private lease, near where the lease has a right-angled corner jutting into the reserve.

sandra henderson

 

On Fri, Feb 12, 2010 at 6:23 PM, martin butterfield <> wrote:

In terms of bird life it seemed that the large flocks of birds I would expect in Autumn are already beginning to form.  Magpies were in groups of 8 - 10 (rather than 2 or 3) and Eastern Rosellas in flocks of 6.  Starlings were in the 50 - 100 range, mainly around the very heavily berried hawthorns.  Only one flock of about 40 Little ravens.  In contrast, near the junction of Widgiewa and Captains Flat Roads a family party of Australian Grebes included one very downy chick - surely only 2 or 3 days old.

Martin