On Thursday Sept.18,1997, Ray Leggett reported via Glen Ingram that
he had detected ultra-sonic sounds from a W.T. Nightjar at 8P.M. , July
1997, when using an Anabat.
Tony Ewart uses a handheld Mini-2 bat detector (Ultry Sound Advice)
to locate cicadas.
Earler this month, he was searching country abutting Pumice Stone
Passage south
of Caloundra, Queensland, with the aid of a grandson aged nine, and they
disturbed a small party of Brown Quail. The quail, which did not take
flight but remained in the long grass emitted ultra-sonic sound at
approximately 20-22 kh3 frequency which could not be heard by Tony and his
grandson. Tony says that the song was reminiscent of a rather more musical
version of a Laughing Hyena!
On 23/997 a White Throated Honeyeater was located in the shrubs south
of Chinaman's Lagoon, Miles, South Qld., singing in Acacias. Interestingly
part of the call reached a frequency of approximately 16-18 kh3, although
it was clearly audible to the ear, indicating a broad frequency range.
What was particularly intriguing was that the bird reacted strongly to the
song emitted by the bat detector which occurred virtually simultaneously
with the emission of the song. After a few minutes, a Striated Pardalote
approached the bat detector, within a metre, clearly trying to locate the
source of the 'song' coming from the bat detector.
In addition Tony had an encounter with a White Cheeked Honeyeater in
the Wallum at Peregian, north of Caloundra. This bird rises out of the low
Wallum heath emitting a series of short sharp 'chip' like calls, which
rise in frequency as the bird flies higher (reminiscent of European
Skylark). The last of these short calls reached ~ 16-17 kh3 although it
was again audible to the ear, indicating a broad frequency range.
Mike Hines, 42 Pangeza St., Stafford Heights, Qld. 4053
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