Congratulations to Kim Larmour, and subsequently Milburn, Alastair and Frank, on observing and reporting this vagrant grassbird at Jerra wetlands, an excellent tick. I wish I were in the Canberra region at the time!
eBird checklist annotations suggest that this is the first ACT record but I note five others:
One in Birdata from Casey but it may be a programming error as the record details do not load
Four in the Atlas of Living Australia, below. The first two look wrong (I have seen this type of error in the NSW Bird Atlassers' data in the ALA before). The third may or may not be valid. The fourth looks valid, considering the source of the record (the Australian
Museum) and the fact that it is shown as a 'preserved specimen'.
NSW Atlassers Jerrabomberra Wetlands - Kellys Swamp Fyshwick STP Supplied date "2006-01-01/2006-01-31" co-ords are Bruce
NSW Atlassers Jerrabomberra Wetlands - Kellys Swamp Fyshwick STP Supplied date "2006-07-01/2006-07-31" co-ords are Bruce
NSW Atlassers Jerrabomberra (Kingston, close to Jerra wetlands) 1975-08-29
Australian Museum Ornithology Collection, Collector Coppin, B., Preserved specimen, Supplied date "1957" "Australia, Australian Capital Territory, CANBERRA AREA (35° 18' S, 149° 08' E) 1957 - 1957, COPPIN, B.(Collector), Accession". The co-ordinates give the
location as Reconciliation Place, ie between Old Parliament House and Lake Burley Griffin, but as they are at the accuracy of one minute the actual location could be nearly two km from there. Furthermore, the collection date is before the creation of Lake
BG so the bird was probably collected in the Molonglo River.
David
-------- Forwarded Message --------
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Subject:
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[eBird Alert] Needs Alert for Australian Capital Territory <daily>
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Date:
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Thu, 29 Dec 2016 11:00:41 -0500 (EST)
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From:
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To:
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*** Species Summary:
- Tawny Grassbird (2 reports)
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Thank you for subscribing to the <daily> Needs Alert for Australian Capital Territory.The report below shows observations of species you have not seen in Australian Capital Territory, based on your eBird observations. View or unsubscribe to this alert at http://ebird.org/ebird/alert/summary?sid=SN35039
NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless indicated
Tawny Grassbird (Megalurus timoriensis) (1)
- Reported Dec 29, 2016 11:17 by Peter Milburn
- Jerrabomberra Wetlands Nature Reserve, Australian Capital Territory
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=-35.31596,149.1615&ll=-35.31596,149.1615
- Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33260877
- Comments: "Seen initially at a distance of about 100 m and later down to about 50m. General jizz was lark-like with short, broad, rounded wings but disproportionately long spathulate tail evident in fluttering flight. Mostly observed in short flights but also observed perched in thick sedges and foraging at the margin of an Azola sp, covered shallow pool. Head pattern plain, best described as a rufous crown contrasting with a white face and throat. Upperparts dull tawny brown heavily streaked with black. Much brighter in flight when the rufous inner webs of both remiges and retrices were on display. Also heard trill-like calls not dissimilar to Rufous Songlark. First record for the ACT."
Tawny Grassbird (Megalurus timoriensis) (1)
- Reported Dec 29, 2016 07:00 by Kim Larmour
- Jerrabomberra Wetlands Nature Reserve, Australian Capital Territory
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=-35.31596,149.1615&ll=-35.31596,149.1615
- Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33253690
- Comments: "I heard fragments of the first raspy part of its call on and off in the dry tussocky gassy area between Kelly Swamp and the boardwalk by Jerra Creek and thought it sounded like a TG, but dismissed this as my audible error. I heard then the full call, usually made in flight, with the repeated raspy chirp followed by the long more melodic falling away trill. Certain now that it was a TG I waited and saw the bird feeding on Dock seed heads in the strip of green vegetation about 40 metres from the boardwalk. Much larger than a Reed Warbler or Little Grassbird with a longer tail and rusty coloured crown. Obligingly it flew up, giving its distinctive rasp and trill call, holding its tail and wings in a somewhat drooping manner. Flew only about 2 metres above the vegetation before dropping back down and finishing the call back in the grass."
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