I spend Wednesday and Thursday mornings doing bird surveys for the Taylor’s Creek land-care group in sites set up by Nicki Taws. The general area is on the eastern side of Lake George. The last site I did on Wednesday, in the very early afternoon, was the Duck Flat (Taylor’s Creek) TSR, an area predominantly of Snow Gum woodland. This site is approximately 19 km from Bungendore and 12 km from Tarago on the main Bungendore to Tarago road. This road travels through some pretty dense bushland and also through very open “grassland”. I was surprised to hear a Common (Indian) Myna calling in the reserve and another a bit further away. On Thursday morning I did an early morning survey in the same TSR and saw 2 mynas and heard at least 2 others calling outside the survey area. I discussed these records with Mrs Joan Limon who helps organise the Taylor’s Creek group and she told me that one local property owner has been shooting mynas and that they are also established in Tarago. This is a worrying development. I don’ think I have ever seen any in Bungendore but usually I am just passing through. I have also seen mynas on the road to Boorowa, 11km from the Hume Highway and many years ago on the northern end of Lake George.
Are we losing the battle with this species? Time will tell!
Mark
