David
It is well settled that people can report anything on this chatline relating to birds in the local area.
The problem with the koel reports is that they underline the uneven, non–linear flow of our conversations. Not that it matters much.
It is traditional for koel reports, during the season they are with us, to come in waves. After the first, newsworthy, reports, the waves go as follows -
1) ‘I heard a koel in X this morning’ >
2) ‘I hear one every week in Y’ >
3) ‘That’s nothing. I have 2 every day in Z’.
4) Thus discouraged, the reports abate, until a new wave begins, perhaps 2 weeks later, OR the first juv is sighted.
Having said THAT, my everyday (Rocky Knob) koel is ranging each day over to Finniss Crescent, Narrabundah, and, particularly in the afternoons, over to Jansz Crescent, Griffith. Yesterday it was deep in the greenery in a Silver Birch in my backyard, calling excitedly in response to the squawks of 4 wattlebirds feeding on the brilliant Little Johns a few metres away. I believe it is different from the one occasionally heard at the Canberra Grammar School, and it is certainly different from the one towards the Griffith shops, shared each year with Rob Parnell, Nick Payne, and Lindell, which can be heard, periodically, at the same time as the Rocky Knob bird. In the past, there has been a third (or fourth) male over towards Goyder Street, but either it is not in occupation or the usual correspondents for that sector are in a period of koel-report-autosuppression.
From: Andrew, David [
Sent: Tuesday, 22 November 2011 9:48 AM
To:
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] First Sighting of Spotted Turtle Dove in Scullin? [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
Although I don’t pay much attention to them, I very occasionally hear Spotted Turtle Doves near my house in Hackett – none this spring/summer so far though.
I seem to recall general disapproval over Koel reports last year, although I kind of like them as a ‘first cuckoo of spring’ equivalent ... but for what it’s worth, I heard one near North Ainslie Primary School Friday 18 Nov at about 4.30 PM, and saw two flying over Dickson shopping centre on Sun 20 Nov c6 PM.
David Andrew
Species Listing Section
Wildlife Branch
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population & Community
If you have received this transmission in error please notify us immediately by return e-mail and delete all copies. If this e-mail or any attachments have been sent to you in error, that error does not constitute waiver of any confidentiality, privilege or copyright in respect of information in the e-mail or attachments. Please consider the environment before printing this email.
