Perhaps
I should have phrased my original point a bit more clearly. I should have said
that the local birds ORIGINATED from aviary escapees. I am quite happy to
accept that the birds are now breeding around town. One only has to look at
what has happened to Rainbow Lorikeets around Perth to see what will almost
certainly eventually happen here, with the detrimental impact on native hole
nesting species that are already competing with Common Myna and Common
Starling. I know of a lot of other records from the Kaleen/Giralang area that
never get placed on any sort of report form. These are records sent or told to
me by former colleagues at CSIRO etc. Unfortunately I don’t have the time to
physically write down all these records so they will never make it to the
Annual Bird report and the like.
Mark
From: Paul
Fennell [m("grapevine.com.au","ptf");">]
Sent: Saturday, 5 April 2014 1:35 PM
To: 'Martin
Butterfield'; 'Mark Clayton'
Cc: 'calyptorhynchus .'; 'Canberra
Birds'
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Lorikeets in Hughes (and
Gang-Gangs)
While
the Rainbow Lorikeets first seen in Canberra may well have been intrepid
escapees rather than intrepid explorers blazing new trails through the ranges
from the coast, it is quite clear to me that there has been a significant
presence of the species around Hawker for a number of years, both in summer
and in winter.
The
other day approximately 50-60 were observed in one group in Marrakai St
Hawker, near a house where it was assumed the residents were feeding
them. Prior to that, groups of 8 to 10 have been reported as far back as
2001 in Hawker. At my house in Scullin at least 2, and up to 6 birds were
observed daily feeding in the very large banksia tree near our front
door. They were there every day, summer and winter. Since we have
removed the tree, we get Rainbow Lorikeets in the yard much less frequently
(still 2 banksias left), but observe small flocks regularly flying
by.
I
need no further evidence to convince me there is a viable long-term, wild,
breeding population in South Belconnen.
Cheers
Paul
Paul Fennell
Editor Annual Bird Report
COG Databases Manager
026254 1804
0407105460
