>Another resend.
>I regularly visit a large dam associated with a colliery and coal washery
>near Newcastle, NSW. Starlings are always present and I frequently see them
>probing about in the mud like waders. Magpie-larks can also often be seen
>there feeding (not just gathering mud for nests) on the mud flats at the
>edge.
>
>Paul Osborn
>
>
>----------
>From: Martin O'Brien[SMTP:
>Sent: Thursday, 6 March 1997 9:33
>To:
>Subject: Are Starlings waterbirds?
>
>A new thread, and it may be research oriented!
>
>An interesting observation has come my way regarding the introduced European
>Starling in
>Victoria.
>
>On return to Melbourne from the coastal Victorian town of Queenscliff near
>Port Phillip Bay
>heads a few weeks ago, Richard Loyn and myself made a brief visit to the Swan
>Bay wetlands
>to check for water/wader birds. While crossing the causeway to the island
>Richard noted
>Starlings feeing on the mudflats just like medium sized waders do. As we
>could not stop,
>their food was not determined. I thought this curious as I hadn't observed
>such behaviour
>before by Starlings but gave it no further thought.
>
>Today I received some ~regular waterbird counts from Eileen Collins of
>Chiltern who is involved
>in the Regent Honeyeater Recovery effort. On one of the count sheets she
>noted 100s of
>Starlings feeding in the shallows of Great Southern Swamp near Wangaratta in
>northeast
>Victoria. Coincidence?
>
>My theory is that due to the particularly dry summer in Victoria this season,
>the ground is
>much harder to dig in if you're a Starling. Wetland edges then might 'fit
>the bill' so to speak.
>
>Keep a look out for your next flock of Starlings and see where they are
>feeding. Is this
>'normal' or or at least not unusual behaviour for the species?
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>---
>Martin O'Brien
>Wildlife Policy Officer
>Flora and Fauna Branch
>Department of Natural Resources and Environment
>GPO Box 41
>East Melbourne, 3002
>Victoria, AUSTRALIA
>Tel: +61 3 9412 4273
>Fax: +61 3 9412 4586
>e-mail
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>---
>
>
>
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