I think your below summary (from 2007) was accurate, Philip. May peak for
gardens probably still with us, made more evident by the undoubted increase
in overall numbers.
Noisy Miners
from [Geoffrey Dabb] [Permanent Link][Original]
To: "'chat line'" <>
Subject: Noisy Miners
From: "Geoffrey Dabb" <>
Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2007 08:25:36 +1000
Nothing new here and one of our periodic topics, but this might be a case
where more new contributions will help bring home the full picture.
In the last 15 years, N Miners have entered and now spread throughout Callum
Brae and adjacent woodland. In Spring, their chasing of small birds,
especially pardalotes, is very evident.
So far as I know, until recently they were absent from Griffith. There is
now a colony at the Griffith shops.
At the talk referred to I discussed with Kris the relative slowness of miner
expansion in suburban Canberra compared to Sydney. There may be some
significant environmental factor, as the miner is far from being a 'garden
bird' in Canberra cf Sydney. I have previously mentioned my theory that
the Red Wattlebird, in its breeding haunts, tends to exclude the miner. I
think someone responded that they had an abundance of both miners and
wattlebirds in their suburb (Hackett, as I recall).
From: Michael & Janette Lenz
Sent: Thursday, 31 May 2007 9:16 PM
To: Philip Veerman
Cc: chat line
Subject: Noisy Miners
Thanks Philip for providing the summary of Kris French's talk on Noisy
Miners and Common Mynahs - interesting.
The Noisy Miner is certainly a species here in Canberra that deserves more
attention than it is probably getting currently, it may well become a more
important part of the suburban avifauna in contrast to previous GBS years.
Several years ago I knew it from Mt Ainslie only from the area behind the
War Memorial, then from the old Ainslie hopper. Now it can be found anywhere
on Mt Ainslie. It is now spreading into the suburbs, along Limestone Avenue
and has reached Corroboree Park, the Ainslie Football Park and ventures into
adjoining parts of Braddon.
Also several years ago at the ANU the first breeding record came from the
Coombs Bldg. Now the ANU is fully colonised and birds cross Barry Drive into
Turner.
No doubt, similar expansion is taking place in other parts of town. In due
course presence of this species may well add to the difficulties smaller
species have in suburbia on top of everything else - Mynahs, drought etc. It
will be important to keep track of Noisy Miner range expansion which has
been happening for some time on the "quiet".
Michael Lenz
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