canberrabirds

Dusky woodswallows

To: Geoffrey Dabb <>, "" <>
Subject: Dusky woodswallows
From: Jack & Andrea Holland <>
Date: Sun, 12 Jun 2016 07:21:46 +0000
Thanks for re-posting these data Geoffrey,

It remains a mystery to me why the winter of 2010 was such a good one for
spring/summer migrants staying over, certainly in my local patch [see
Holland  CBN, 35(3) 222 (2010)].  In fact I've hardly seen a Dusky
Woodswallow here at all since, and certainly none in winter despite still
covering much the same area.  The latter is also true for the Black-faced
Cuckoo-shrike and the Grey Fantail, also present in greater than usual
numbers that winter.  I haven't checked it but I expect some winters since
have certainly been warmer.

Last winter very few, if any, Dusky Woodswallows overwintered in the ACT
(see my Gang-gang column p2 of the September 2015 issue), whereas this year
they are present (see my June 2016 column, which mentions they are often
present in groups near water, consistent with the Jerrabomberra wetlands
observation).

Jack Holland

-----Original Message-----
From: Geoffrey Dabb
Sent: Sunday, June 12, 2016 2:04 PM
To: 
Subject: FW: [canberrabirds] Dusky woodswallows

In 2010 on this chatline we collected winter obs of specified 'partial
migrants' {= 'partial residents'}  High numbers of D Woodswallows were
recorded.  In a later year they were largely absent.  My theory is each year
many birds to the south of Canberra move north, spending winter across a
broad geographical crescent.  Conditions determine the north-south location
of the crescent.  In a 'mild' (wet? warm autumn?) year Canberra will lie
within the crescent.  In other years it will be further north.  The 2010
table is attached (extracted from the list archive)

-----Original Message-----
From: Donna Belder 
Sent: Sunday, 12 June 2016 12:14 PM
To: Bill Hall
Cc: ; ;

Subject: Dusky woodswallows

Thanks, Con and David. Definitely confident they were woodswallows, not
starlings! I survey and band woodswallows as part of my PhD. I was surprised
to see such a large group at this time of year, but thought I'd check since
it's only my second winter in Canberra and I am still getting familiar with
the seasonal bird patterns.

Bill, they were south of the ponds, foraging above a row of allocasuarinas
and perching intermittently in them and adjacent dead trees. I think that's
the area referred to as the "woodland walk"? They were quite conspicuous.

> On 12 Jun 2016, at 11:40, Bill Hall <> wrote:
>
> Hi Donna, where in Jerrabomberra? I live only 10mins  away from Jerra.
>
> Bill Hall
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Donna Belder 
> Sent: Saturday, 11 June, 2016 10:41 PM
> To: 
> Subject: [canberrabirds] Dusky woodswallows
>
> Just wondering if approx 20 Dusky Woodswallows at Jerrabomberra is
> worth reporting to Eremaea Birdlines, based on the time of year?
>
> Other highlights this morning were the Intermediate Egret that seems
> to be becoming a regular, and the recently reported large flock (at
> least 90) of Pink-eared Ducks foraging vociferously!
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