Koel

[Ian Fraser <>]

In November 1996 (ie just after Steve Clark's record) I was doing a regular natural history segment on local ABC radio. A caller said she had a koel in her yard in O'Connor; I got her contact details and after the show went round there, but of course the bird had gone. But when I got home (in Turner) a male koel was calling from the ornamental plum tree just over the back fence. It was the first I'd seen in Canberra of course, and distinctly recall the glowing red eyes, matching the fruit on the tree.

It was impossible to imagine then that they'd be as predictable (if not as abundant) as Noisy Friarbirds one day.

Ian

On 8/08/2023 6:50 pm, Kim Farley via Canberrabirds wrote:

Hi Shorty, Jack and fellow birders

After reading Jack's post I was curious and had a look at eBird for Koel records. The earliest record would not have come to COG's attention as the bird was reported from Watson in October 1996 (!) by a gent called Steve Clark. Looking at his public eBird profile I can see that he is currently the eBird reviewer for Tanzania and clearly spent a lot of time in Australia as his Australian list is 605 species. I would be inclined to trust his record, though obviously it can't be corroborated at this point. The next records are in 2002 and 2003 at Macquarie and Hughes, reported by Frank Antram and an anonymous eBirder. Their records appear not to have come to COG's attention either (?). No more records until 2006, with a record each at Mulligans and Macquarie, same observers as 2002 and 2003. From 2011 records start to become regular at sites in the north and then inexorably edging into southerly parts of Canberra. 

As with Jack's post, September is also the earliest month they have been reported in eBird. Keep your ears and eyes open, Shorty. A confirmed August record would be great 

Kim

On Tue, Aug 8, 2023 at 5:08 PM shorty via Canberrabirds <> wrote:

Thanks Jack,

I do have Common Blackbird around here so maybe what I am hearing, I will wait for a full call to confirm Koel. Another person has chimed in on the Facebook post on hearing one give a full call a couple of days ago.

Shorty

On Tue, Aug 8, 2023 at 4:53 PM <> wrote:

Many thanks Shorty, that would indeed be an early Koel.  In my 2021 CBN summary the earliest return record is from the GBS 2 wk in September, which starts on 11 September way back in 2007.  At the time there had been 3 other years of the first report in September, and only a single winter record of a female photographed in Narrabundah in June.

 

The call that has confused me quite a few times is start up call of the Common Blackbird, but this species is not calling around my patch as yet.

 

Jack Holland  

 

From: Canberrabirds <> On Behalf Of shorty via Canberrabirds
Sent: Tuesday, August 8, 2023 1:06 PM
To: Canberra birds <>
Subject: [Canberrabirds] Koel

 

Hi All,

 

For a week and a half now, early morning, I have been hearing a very short call that sounds like the first half of a single Koel call. I always say to myself "Koel" but end up convincing myself that it can't be.

 

Today someone has posted on Facebook that they heard a Koel this morning, I asked if was a long or short call and was answered a normal call. Due to my one being just a snippet I still can't convince myself that it is a Koel but the report on Facebook today is a very early arrival.

 

Shorty

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