I expect we are all aware of the
solar eclipse today. Are there any bird people at Exmouth today to see it?
As it happens, my first
significant contribution to published bird study was my article: (1982)
‘A record of avian and other responses to the total solar eclipse –
23 October 1976’, Australian Bird Watcher 9: 179–209. (As
far as I know, this is still the world’s biggest analysis of animal
behaviour to a solar eclipse.) About the event today (as in the totality
impact on Australia) extent only just touches on the far west of WA. The
partial eclipse will be visible over the whole of Australia. For most of us in
the south east, it will not be noticeable without particularly trying, as only
a very limited partial eclipse. To notice it there, you would need to use a
pinhole camera technique. Birds will not notice it or be impacted in any way in
the small partial areas. But in areas included in totality they certainly do
notice!
Philip Veerman
