For overseas subscribers to this chatline, a word of explanation might be helpful on this one. Here in Canberra we are having a bit of a centenary. As you see, a commemorative stone for the national parliament building (then just an idea) was laid in March 1913. It is now on the lawns where a great big concert is going to be held on Friday (25th) on the eve of the national day. The bird shown is a NIGHT PARROT. To be truthful, that is not an actual photo but is an illustration from ‘What Bird Is That?’, Australia’s first field guide, by Neville Cayley, which was first published just 18 years after that stone was laid. Night Parrots are very rare, but are reported occasionally, about as frequently as Tasmanian Tiger sightings, in fact, come to think of it, maybe not as frequently. There was a report last year, not verified, from the mallee area of north-western Victoria. The picture of that politician was snipped from Tony Abbott’s photostream so is a bit fuzzy, unlike the actual politician who is a more, er, sharp-edged and clear-cut sort of a person. Very few ACT tickers will have a Night Parrot on their list. With all the noise on Friday night it will not be a good time to look for them then, at least not in the vicinity of Parliament House.
