I am posting the following message from Jon Starks, who has just returned
from doing some Orange-bellied Parrot monitoring work in western Tasmania
(the OBP population is now making its northward migration across Bass
Strait to Victoria and South Australia for the winter). Apparently there
are very few records of Willie Wagtails in Tasmania. I will pass on any
comments or follow-up info to Jon.
Regards,
Hugo
------------------------------------------------
On 2 April, whilst watching a group of Blue-winged Parrots in farmland at
Woolnorth in north-western Tasmania, a Willie Wagtail appeared from trees
along a fence line next to the road. The wagtail was observed catching
insects in grass by a gate through the fence. It was seen at 9:28 AM and
observed foraging around this gate for about 30 seconds before flying off
to the south. Searching further south later in the morning and again in
the afternoon failed to find it. The site was also visited on 7 April but
it was not seen.
On 11 April, 400 down a track through the aforementioned gate I saw another
Willie Wagtail. It was first seen at 10:11 AM, perched on a triangular
wooden frame above a round concrete cattle drinking trough. It remained
there for about 5 minutes, making brief foraging sallies. It then flew
about 40 m north to a fence and continued making foraging sallies from the
fence, each time landing a bit further east along the fence until it ended
up near the gate where the sighting was made on 2 April. I visited the
spot again in the late afternoon and also on 15 and 17 April but did not
see it again.
The gate is next to the Woolnorth Road, 4.5 km beyond the Welcome River
crossing. It is on private property and birders are advised to seek
permission to gain access.
Jon Starks
-------------------------------------
Hugo Phillipps,
Birds Australia Conservation & Liaison,
Australian Bird Research Centre,
415 Riversdale Road,
Hawthorn East, VIC 3123, Australia.
Tel: (03) 9882 2622. Fax: (03) 9882 2677.
O/s: +61 3 9882 2622. Fax: +61 3 9882 2677.
Email: <>
Web Homepage: http://www.vicnet.net.au/~birdsaus/
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