From: Geoffrey Dabb [
Sent: Thursday, 14 April 2016 1:32 PM
To:
Subject: FW: [canberrabirds] The mysterious G Fantail
As there is some interest in this I add a few more comments.
Stephen Marchant is of course well known as the senior editor of the first 2 vols of HANZAB. His surveys in the ‘Caswell Drive area’ were conducted from October
1964 to December 1968. From August 1966 he visited at least 2 mornings each week. The G Fantail was ‘not noted’ 13 May-26 August 1967 and 25 April-31 August 1968. [CBN 2(5)]
Harry Bell’s surveys in NW corner of BMNR were March 1974-April 1975. The G Fantail was the most frequent participant in MFFs – in 62 of 105 flocks. He recorded
MFFs through the year, April, June and February being high months. [Emu 80)] HOWEVER a separate paper showed there were few G Fantails in the survey area in the winter months. [Corella 4 (1)]
Neil Hermes’ surveys in a similar area were limited to a 15 week period April-August 1977. The G Fantail was the 5th ranked MFF participant, being
present in 42% of flocks. [Corella 5 (2)]
Students of MFFs might note the different definitions used: “at least one bird of a species … within 5m of another species for 2 minutes and moving in the
same general direction for at least 10m” VERSUS “4 or more different species occurring within 50m and moving together”.
I believe Damien Farine recently surveyed MFFs at Mulligans Flat and it would be interesting to know his experience of the G Fantail there.
Alastair and I have been noting the eBird data. Of course you can explore this for yourself. The below extracts are all limited to June-July, when many individuals
are in north Queensland. 1 shows many records of birds still in the south, including Tasmania (different subspecies, possibly moves north). 2 is a zoom-in to elucidate the blank cells around Canberra in 1. Lower map shows locations of Canberra winter records
– all from last 10 years. (An interrogation for 1970-1980 reveals a single winter record at the Bot Gardens.)
From: David Rees
Sent: Wednesday, 13 April 2016 3:10 PM
To: Philip Veerman
Cc: Geoffrey Dabb; <>
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] The mysterious G Fantail
Very likely a trend caused by milder winters - aka Climate change?. Probably happening with Scarlet robins and lots of others. Wonder if there is any change in numbers of Dusky Woodswallows seen in the Canberra region over the years.
I am especially reminded of its effects when I visit the UK to see family and see birds behaving now like they never did before - like some warblers being find-able there in winter. Or birds like Cetti's Warbler
https://vimeo.com/116439123 spreading rapidly northwards, not to mention the now easy heron to see in the south - our familiar Little Egret. And then the feral parakeets that infest SW London now. Maybe at that latitude
the impact is more noticeable.
On Wed, Apr 13, 2016 at 1:08 PM, Philip Veerman <> wrote:
Well I am surprised by that old quote from Stephen Marchant. It is certainly not a summer visitor now. He is regarded as being a stickler for accuracy. Have things changed so
much? Or was that just based on a limited survey (of the high country maybe)?
The GBS Report has:
Grey Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa
This species is a common inhabitant of woodland and forest. It is conspicuous in its behaviour and voice and will readily approach and flutter around people. Sometimes they even appear to follow people. The occurrence pattern shows an
interesting similarity to the Willie Wagtail but is more marked. From a low in November and December rises smoothly to a peak in March, then declines through winter with a minor second peak in September and October. This shows the two periods of partial migration
through Canberra and the low numbers whilst breeding. Long-term there has been a fairly even increase in abundance. This has occurred in both the highs and lows of the monthly pattern. Breeding records are some nest building from October, though mostly of
dependent young from January to early March. Most breeding records are one-off observations, one had nest with eggs to dependent young over four weeks (Year 21 at Site 230).
Graphs on page: 102, Rank: 20, Breeding Rank: 30, A = 0.35350, F = 82.61%, W = 51.9, R = 22.954%, G = 1.54.
So the GBS results are close to the little abundance graph Geoff provided and also reasonably close to the recording rate graph. Although the latter
shows less of a dip in summer. That is because that samples a wider range of habitats and places and is less influenced by changes in abundance.
Philip
From: Geoffrey
Dabb [
Sent: Wednesday, 13 April, 2016 12:20 PM
To:
Subject: FW: [canberrabirds] The mysterious G Fantail
Nicki may be correct in using ‘summer migrants’ for relocating G Fantails, but their movements seem to be variable. There is a traditional view among
older Canberrathologists that the G Fantail is a summer visitor eg Stephen Marchant re his 1964-1968 surveys:
“summer visitor. First arrival 10 September 1966”.
The current labelling on the COG website is the more accurate -
‘Common breeding resident. Much of the population of the ranges migrates in winter. Together with some from the tablelands.’ That is taken from Steve
Wilson’s book. That book uses ‘tablelands’ a lot, the meaning of which is not entirely clear. It seems to be all of the ACT, and possibly a more extensive area, that is not ‘the ranges’. The COG website (below) and the BLA atlas show a marked thinning
out of the local GF population in winter, the atlas showing a corresponding thickening in north Queensland.
Nonetheless, quite a few remain here in winter. Evidence of this is their frequent presence in the mixed feeding flock, largely an autumn/winter phenomenon.
Where they are locally in the non-breeding months must surely be determined by food (small flying insects) and hence rainfall, consequently variable year to year. Best spots are perhaps the denser vegetation on Mount Mugga and Black Mountain – and in particular
the lush green tangles along the Molonglo and other local watercourses.
This is not intended to overlook the sometimes spectacular ‘move through’ of large numbers of this species. Barbara Allan has just mentioned to me a
morning when 500 GFs were in view at her spot on the Pinnacle, only to be gone an hour later. Large numbers of transients are certainly around at the moment.
From: Nicki
Taws [
Sent: Wednesday, 13 April 2016 7:12 AM
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] K2C bird surveys 10 April
At the same time, late-departing summer migrants were still enjoying the warm days including
Dusky Woodswallow (up to 40 at two of sites), Grey Fantail, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike and
Rufous Songlark skulking quietly in the grasslands.
Nicki Taws
0408 210736
