Where do the birds go?

[David Rees <>]

Its been fairly miserable for butterflies locally this spring/summer, esp. away from the more humid habitats in the mountains. Some fast breeding species can take advantage of rain events as they happen but for species with annual cycles the current conditions are not good. Will be the same for other insects, with these visible species as a proxy.   Less insects means many birds have trouble finding food. In 'dry open' environments such as Mulligans Flat there has been heavy grazing of the ground flora and (? due to the dry) the mistletoes don't look like flowering well this year, not good.  

It is interesting for me to observe that the best parts of Mulligan's right now, inside the predator proof fence that is, both for general bird activity and for insects are areas contained within fenced areas which I imagine are still excluding Bettongs and maybe some other Macropods (wallabies), though not completely the Eastern Greys.  There is actually seeding kangaroo and wallaby grass in those enclosures, complexity of ground cover and plenty of grasshoppers etc. (aka bird food), which I am not seeing right now generally within those parts of the predator-proof fenced area I visit that the bettongs, wallabies etc. have free reign of.   The best Golden Sun-moth I've seen there this summer were in the patches of seeding Wallaby grass.  That was where I filmed them laying eggs back in November and were the only places I saw females.  Males fly about a lot and where you see them may not actually be suitable breeding habitat.  

I do wonder about the current objectives of management of this place. 

David

On Sat, Dec 29, 2018 at 9:47 AM Wayne Gregson <> wrote:

Charmian

 

I’ve only seen one solitary YTB in the last few days – heading towards the mountains and calling plaintively for its lost friends!

 

Back to the lack of birds – yesterday evening I finished off my walk around Narrabundah Hill fairly late and using my headlamp.  Normally the light attracts heaps of insects but last night there were virtually none.  Nor was the light picking up the eyes of spiders on the ground as it normally does.  Perhaps the apparent lack of insects is connected with the absence of birds??

 

cheers

 

Wayne

 

From: Charmian Lawson

Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2018 7:45 AM

To: Wayne Gregson

Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Where do the birds go?

 

You might be right Wayne – your mail made us chuckle! Tony says you live in Duffy – have you heard the yellow tailed blacks again (last week) – lovely sound I think.

 

From: Wayne Gregson

Sent: Friday, December 28, 2018 9:48 PM

To: Charmian Lawson ; m("canberrabirds.org.au","canberrabirds");"> 'COG List'

Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Where do the birds go?

 

Charmian

 

from my reading of the COG chatline the birds are all in Anthony Overs garden!!

 

cheers

 

Wayne Gregson

 

From: Charmian Lawson

Sent: Friday, December 28, 2018 7:16 PM

To: COG

Subject: [canberrabirds] Where do the birds go?

 

I have just been out into our garden very briefly, and there is not one bird in sight or within hearing. Normally we have lots of different birds (including lots of Koels, male and female and very vocal this year) but the birds have disappeared for now.

 

Does anyone know where they go when it is so very hot?

 

Thanks

 

Charmian Lawson

Holder