Dear Rob McNaught,
Over the last few weeks I have been eagerly reading your postings on the
Birding-aus newsgroup, for information on Regent Honeyeaters in the
Warrumbungles. From your postings I gather that you spend quite a lot of
time bird-watching in the Warrumbungles.
The reason that I am writing is that I wish to enlist your help with the
recovery program for the Regent Honeyeater. As I'm sure you are aware the
Regent Honeyeater is listed as Endangered nationally and currently the
recovery program is being endorsed by the Australian Nature Conservation
Agency (ANCA).
One of the problems the Regent Honeyeater faces is a lack of knowledge about
its ecology. In order to try and learn more about the habitat preferences
and distribution of Regent Honeyeaters a centralised data base has been
established to which birdwatchers from all over New South Wales, Victoria
and Queensland contribute. I am hoping that you might assist with this by
sending me information on your observations. I have a standard Record Sheet
which I ask people to complete (see below).
The ranger at Warrumbungles N.P. (Andrew Miller) is also interested in the
Regent Honeyeater Recovery Program, and is monitoring a number of "key"
Regent Honeyeater sites (mostly around Camp Blackman) on a monthly basis.
I'm sure he would be keen to have your assistance if you were interested.
These monthly monitoring programs are being carried out in a number of 'Key'
Regent Honeyeater habitats in VIC and NSW by a network of "Operations
groups" (mostly natural history groups, e.g. Cumberland Bird Observers,
Southern NSW and ACT Group RAOU). Ultimately we are hoping to combine the
data from all these sites in the hope that we might learn more about the
occupation of these sites in relation to presence of other nectivores and
flowering of eucalypts.
If you would like further information on the recovery program I would be
more than happy to send you our newsletter "Where the Regents Roam", just
e-mail me your snail-mail address.
I look forward to hearing more about the Warrumbungles birds soon,
Yours sincerely Natasha Schedvin.
PS. Following is a copy of the Regent Honeyeater Record Sheet. I hope it
doesn't get too scrambled on your system.
Regent Honeyeater - Record Sheet
Name:
............................................................................
........................................
Address:....................................................................
...............................................
............................................................................
...........................Postcode:..........................................
Ph: ( ....... )..........................Fax: (......).....................
Sighting Details
Date:...................................................................
Time: ...................................
Distance and direction from nearest named landmark (e.g. hill, stream
crossing) or town: ..........
............................................................................
............................................................................
Map details (if known)
Map No: ............................. Map Name:
..................................... Map Scale:..........................
Easting: ............................... Northing:
....................................
or
Lat: .................................... Long:
.............................................. Altitude:
.............................m
Habitat:
............................................................................
..............................................................
Tree species present (if known):
............................................................................
........................
Distance to nearest water (if known):
............................................................................
................
Please use space overleaf to sketch the site (If possible, please provide
photocopy of map with
position marked)
The Birds
Number seen:
.........................................................................
Activity (e.g. feeding, breeding, aggression to or from other birds):
..............................................
............................................................................
.............................................................................
Food sources being used (e.g. insects,
nectar):....................................................................
............
Additional information - use back of sheet if necessary (e.g. other bird
species present):..............
(photographs are useful)
............................................................................
......................................
............................................................................
..............................................................................
Please forward to: Natasha Schedvin
Regent Honeyeater Recovery Coordinator, Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources,
P.O. Box 137, HEIDELBERG, VIC, 3084. * 03 450 8690 FREECALL: 1800 621 056
Fax: 03 450 8737
e-mail:
Natasha Schedvin
e-mail:
(Regent Honeyeter Recovery Coordinator)
Flora and Fauna Branch
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
PO Box 137
Heidelberg VIC 3084
Australia
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