This is a remarkable number of Feral Pigeons/Rock Doves to see in one place in Canberra. It also explains why this method of regrassing is not permitted at airports. The grain is likely to be sterile
ryecorn which is often used in landscaping as a nurse crop when establishing perennial grasses. Ryecorn mostly does not develop viable seeds and being an annual it dies off once its job is done, but often attracts pigeons and galahs at the planting stage and
wood ducks after it germinates.
Alison R
From: B&RGraham <>
Sent: Friday, 22 May 2020 12:15 PM
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] This morning in Taylor 140 Rock Doves
The Hall Travelling Stock Reserve this morning was very quiet with no mixed flocks.
Later in the developing suburb of Taylor , north east of Hall I saw 140 Rock Doves. A bit hard to count as they were disturbed 3x by a tractor I counted them 3x and reckon
140 is about right. They were feeding on newly sown grass covered by straw and bitumen with wheat seeds to pick at. At the corner of Sutherland and Everist Streets in a fenced off area.
