Can someone please tell me what Philip is babbling on about? I have had several people ask me the same question and what it has to do with aviculturalists or “phantom backyard duck breeders! As far as I know, absolutely nothing!
Mark
From: Philip Veerman [
Sent: Tuesday, 18 October 2011 1:50 PM
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] Not shovelling, whistling (2)
Maybe, but do we (the wider community than those Mark has referred to) know what are (is?) the modus operandi of the "Phantom Backyard Duck-breeder". I think not. It is stated by Mark and Chris that this person is a he. So far we have a curious story about Blue-billed Ducks that I think the historical evidence issued so far doesn't match the conclusion originally suggested, and as Mark wrote (10-10-2011): "Peter will also tell you that another species of rare duck were also released on the ponds!!! If you won’t believe me then ask him." But that is a curiously incomplete comment as it doesn't identify the birds and no further comment has come out. So I am not sure as to the value or motive of this information. I know we had an oddly behaving PWD around Kingston several years ago and that bird certainly behaved like it could be a tame bird released. Those who watched it may recall that it "forlornly" associated with Black Swans. We also had an I think Egyptian Goose on LBG a few years ago.
-----Original Message-----
From: Geoffrey Dabb [
Sent: Tuesday, 18 October 2011 7:26 AM
To:
Subject: FW: [canberrabirds] Not shovelling, whistling (2)
I might have mentioned that this embryonic wetland already has quite a population of waterfowl, including a large crèche of wood ducklings. They must know what it’s there for, like it’s not for water polo. As they said in Field of Dreams (1989), “If you build it, they will come”. (Now included in the AFI’s 100 best-known film quotes. [Usually misquoted, it was really, “If you build it, he will come”. ])
Last evening the notorious lone guineafowl of the Ainslie/Dickson borderlands also put in an appearance. This is a well-known “Should I tick it?” bird.
Yes, Graeme, we should consider the possibility that the PWDs are the work of the Phantom Backyard Duck-breeder, but the numbers are inconsistent with his or her past methods. Perhaps he or she has gone to a new level.
From: Geoffrey Dabb [
Sent: Monday, 17 October 2011 8:45 PM
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] Not shovelling, whistling (2)
I make it 28
