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Hi Birders,
I was recently asked what was the status of the
Topknot Pigeon on the far South Coast of NSW so I looked up the records for the
past 10 years. In 1981 the distribution of the Topknot Pigeon in NSW was given
as "Moderately common, South to about Bermagui, with large flocks travelling
between food sources bieng more conspicuous April-November" (Morris, McGill
& Holmes 1981).
This would appear to be still the
pattern
1989 Moruya area
Jul-Aug
1990 Reported south to Cuttagee
Lake Jan-Feb
1991 No far South Coast
records
1992 15 Bega -Tathra area 3
Jan
1993 20 Wallaga Lake 22-23
Dec
1994 70 Yambulla 24/10-4/11, 11
Kiah 12 Nov (not far from the Vic border!) & 42 on Gabo Island
Nov-Dec
1995 11 Bega River 21
Feb
1996 2 Wallagoot lake 24
Feb
1997 15 Wagonga Inlet (Narooma)
13 Sep, 10 Bournda NP (near Merimbula) 28 Sep & 1 Wallaga Lake 8
Nov
1998 10 Bermagui 10 Jan & 1-6
Nov.
From these records it would appear that the birds
only reached the Victoria border about in one year in 10, and for the most part,
the Bega River and not Bermagui seems to be the normal most southerly limit.
However records for the far South Coast are for the period September to
February, with most observation being for December-February.
Alan Morris
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