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In
late September to October last year a story was advocated on canberra-birds that
the Blue-billed Ducks present at the Fyshwick Sewage Ponds are there because
captive-bred birds had been released there. Debate
followed. Chris Davey (11 October 2011) responded to the discussion and
promised that "When the dates of release and numbers are confirmed I will ensure
that this information is included in the appropriate section of the ABR". I
recommend the story should be more properly told in more detail, preferably with
its own article in CBN. I suggest that at the least a list or table should be
collated of all the local records of the species and locations and years to
support or otherwise the story. This can be done from Steve Wilson's book, all
the COG ABR, the COG database and no doubt asking for records from the many
people who have kept records over the years that do or don't include Blue-billed
Ducks, from that site or others nearby. Anyone could do this. I even thought of
doing this myself but then I thought clearly. If the idea is supported the
records should be confined to that one location and numbers should show a
consistency and be able to tie in to the suggested dates.
I can
however add a bit to support the story (although I didn't doubt the story, only
the belief that it related to the birds recently present). For what it is worth
on the day of the Painted Snipe survey (12 November 2011) I was at Kelly's Swamp
car park with Malcolm Fyfe and Sue Lashko when as we finished another group of
people arrived that appeared to be bird watchers. I did not recognise any of
these people but approached the man who appeared to be leading, as they were
preparing to set off, to offer some tips as to what we had just seen and where.
I think I recall that he knew of me (always a good start). Somehow (I think this
is how it happened) he mentioned about his involvement with CSIRO as we talked
about the Blue-billed Ducks. I asked if he knew of this story and he said yes
and told me the name of the person who had, according to the story, been
breeding these birds some years ago and had released them there. I won't reveal
that name here but it is not a name I am familiar
with.
I have
waited with this message as there isn't any urgency and Mark Clayton had
told us he was away for some weeks at about that time and it would not be
fair to make the suggestion without Mark being around. With
Mark's recent comments about accuracy of data etc I thought it appropriate
to put out a reminder (but hopefully not to restart the debate on the topic,
which I suggest has had its run).
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