With the BFCS we have a little more to work on. It is regularly reported throughout Winter, from a range of locations, urban and woodland. In 2010 there were several ‘high’ days, including a probable 18 different individuals on 18 July. At the same time that table shows that this method of counting can produce blank days even for such a widely present and easily observed species. Much depends on observers being in particular locations on the day. Clearly, the species was present in much lower numbers in 2012, with some competent and energetic observers picking up none, or only one or two. While this is a species that tends to ‘move through’, the 2012 numbers were inflated by the recording of a single adult every day for the period at one suburban site in O’Connor. The appearance of that bird was associated with food being provided for magpies, causing the word ‘opportunistic’ to come to mind.
