Philip, a very interesting observation. Pre-fires I used to have a roost site about 150 m from my place, and I regularly used to see up to 80 birds moving through my GBS site, but in all the time I watched them, I never saw an evening roost flight despite
careful observation, in fact I had to ask around the neighbours to find out where they actually did roost - see CBN, 25(3), 98-112, (2000).
After this publication I became aware of a possible roost site in Kambah not far from where you live (CBN 28(3) 87-95, 2003), but again in the suburbs. After the January 2003 fires the roost did not reform, but I have from time to time wondered about
a possible roost site on Cooleman Ridge in the tree plantings about 150 m off Freebody Place, but it’s a matter of getting there in time (at or before sunrise) to confirm it. Interestingly around 7 am yesterday I had at least 8 SBB in my GBS and couldn’t
help wondering whether they had roosted nearby.
These are all urban/peri-urban sites and much closer to houses than your observation - birds seemed to disperse into the suburbs, though since 2003 I’ve also seen a number of times 8-12 birds moving SW towards the Murrumbidgee.
I’ve just checked HANZAB re SBB roosting and amazingly the only reference seems to be to my 2000 paper above, so well worth investigating further.
Jack Holland
From:
Sent: Saturday, June 06, 2015 5:58 PM
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] Roosting aggregation of Satin Bowerbirds
I just did the Kambah Pool / Bullen range track again. Like 2 times in last 2 weeks there were hardly any birds. Just as the sun was setting, many Pied Currawongs were flying over the river (from the direction of Kambah) to perch in the
Bullen range. That happens almost each time I am there. Very easy to see, as they fly high. This time I happened to look down at one point (just on the opposite side of the river just before the dip in the track after the big power line). In about 2 minutes
I would have seen 50 + Satin Bowerbirds flying the same route as the Currawongs, except all low within the canopy. It is odd that I have never noticed that before. I don’t know how long that flight would continue or whether I just encountered one flock. Maybe
it is a daily event but in all the times I have been there I have rarely seen Satin Bowerbirds there. They would have been about 300 to 400 metres from me.
Philip
