Hi all
As Geoff indicated, it was indeed me who all those years ago unilaterally decided and surreptitiously applied the names that now adorn the five existing hides
at Kellys Swamp and Jerrabomberra Creek.
And again, he’s correct in that I deliberately left D and E available for any future hides that might be built at Kelly’s. More in hope than any realistic expectation
at the time, and I had actually envisaged a couple of hides down at the southern end of the swamp rather than where the new one is now being constructed.
The mix of scientific and common names has been a little contentious. In retrospect, I like the apparent randomness, but Bittern was only used because I worked
to a policy that the name had to refer to a bird that I’d actually seen from the relevant hide (a criterion that most suggestions to this thread have adhered to), so
Botaurus was passed over in preference for Bittern (my first ever Little Bittern / Australian Little Bittern / Black-backed Bittern was seen from Bittern hide).
Fulica was then appropriate for the first hide along Jerrabomberra
Creek, but Tadorna (the last named) broke the alphabetic guidelines but was nevertheless chosen as I’d seen a pair of shelduck opposite the hide several times back in the early ‘90s.
So it follows that
my suggestion for the new hide would begin with either D or E.
For the former, I had already considered, before this thread began, Duck, Drake, Darter and Dotterel (and even Dollarbird which have been seen in that area
fairly frequently in the past few years). Only Egret or Egretta suggested themselves for the latter.
And of them, my preference is for Drake, as it provides another non-scientific name to the group, but also harks to past COG president Alistair Drake who I
believe (though I may be wrong) was active in the development of the wetlands at the time (So, Mark, your concept was not too left field).
By the way - when choosing scientific names I deliberately only considered ones that were relatively ‘simple’, avoiding overly long neo-Latinised-Greek concoctions
– I thought Ardea, Cygnus, Fulica and Tadorna were all pretty straightforward – apparently not for all. So, although I agree wholeheartedly with Isobel’s comments, for those not familiar with the scientific names:
Ardea includes several herons/egrets including White-necked Heron
and Great Egret
Cygnus includes the Black Swan
Fulica includes the Eurasian Coot, and
Tadorna includes the Australian Shelduck.
Harvey
HarPer’s Bizarre – a naturalist’s miscellany at
http://hdpphd.blogspot.com.au/
From: Geoffrey Dabb [
Sent: Wednesday, 13 May 2015 8:38 AM
To:
Subject: FW: [canberrabirds] name the new hide at Kellys
There was a young chap from Australia,
whose ID was often a failure.
When he heard his friends talk
of seeing a stork,
he sat there all day in Platalea.
It was Harvey Perkins who conceived the plan for naming the hides with tastefully created labels matching the structures themselves. This avoided the need to
say “the hide nearest the morgue”(for those who remember those days). Harvey’s plan, although without an obvious progression, would have been designed, I am sure, to accommodate the possibility of future additions to the then existing suite of viewing points.
I vote to refer the matter to Harv.
From: Maurits Zwankhuizen
Sent: Tuesday, 12 May 2015 6:21 PM
To: Maconachie, Michael;
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] name the new hide at Kellys
I like Platalea for attracting more spoonbills.
Maurits Zwankhuizen
From:
To:
Date: Tue, 12 May 2015 04:46:01 +0000
Subject: name the new hide at Kellys
As those who have visited Jerra Wetlands recently will have noticed a new screen and hide is being constructed at Kellys Swamp. My understanding is the existing 5 hides were named (officially
or otherwise) by COG or a COG member. I therefore ask the group to come up with a suitable name for the new hide.
Current names at Kellys are Ardea, Bittern, Cygnus and the two on Jerra Creek are tadorna and fulica. Will see what the response is but maybe you can hold a vote at the next indoor meeting
after we have a list of candidates ?
Michael Maconachie
Senior Ranger
Jerrabomberra Wetlands Nature Reserve
ACT Parks and Conservation Service
TAMS Directorate
0428 113 533
www.jerrabomberrawetlands.org
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