Richard mentioned the mouse plague at Dubbo. I recently mentioned the
increase in the number of raptors in the central west and the link to an
increase in mice. I would like, however, to put some perspective on the
comments by Richards friends. I would hardly suggest that Dubbo is in the
grip of a mouse plague at this stage. The numbers are up and a plague could
well eventuate but the description given is a little misleading.
I have been driving through the central west of a night quite a bit recently
(the latest was Coonabarabran - Mendooran - Dubbo only last night) and can
report that mice crossing the road are fairly common, ie about one mouse
every five kilometres or so with pockets where this might increase to a
couple of mice per kilometre. Barn Owl numbers are up, I saw six in the 150
km or so I drove in the dark last night. Boobook numbers also seem to be
up.
I would suggest that a trip to Dubbo to see Barn Owls would produce the
goods but don't expect to see mice and owls everywhere. Next spring might
well be a better bet.
As far as Letter-winged Kites, I also mentioned this several weeks ago. I
am not expecting to see them around Dubbo at this stage. They are almost
certainly in their core distribution area at the moment, hopefully breeding
up big. Once things dry up in the inland there could well be an irruption
of these critters to the south and east but I think we will have to wait.
Cheers
David Geering
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
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