Swifties in S.A.

Thanks David and Sue for adding to the Swift Parrot jigsaw! Great to hear that the birds have made it back over to SA again this year since the last record I have from SA is from 1999.  With this record of Swift Parrots I am wondering if there are also some in the mallee around Little Desert NP - if anyone is going to be in this area or is looking for somewhere to head for a few days it would be great to have these areas checked out too.  This year we are certainly having to look beyond the traditional areas for Swift Parrots so wherever you are it is worth listening and looking for these dynamic birds! 

Debbie Saunders
Swift Parrot Project Officer
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
Threatened Species Unit, Southern Directorate
PO Box 2115 Queanbeyan NSW 2620
Ph: (02) 6298 9733  Freecall: 1800 66 57 66 Fax: (02) 6299 4281
email:

"David & Sue Harper" <> Sent by: 12/06/02 22:51

To:        <>         cc:        "BIRDING_AUS" <>         Subject:        [BIRDING-AUS] Swifties in S.A.

Hi Chris and aussers,
 
Last Saturday the 8th, Colin Rogers, John Cox and myself saw approximately 25-30 Swift Parrots feeding in some eucalypts (didn't recognise the spp sorry) growing in the grounds of a wildlife park on the south-eastern outskirts of Bordertown. None of these trees were in flower so presumably they were feeding on Lerps.
 
Also of interest were the abundance of Honeyeaters in this small 2ha area. These included your "missing" Fuscous (up to 15) as well as Blue-faced (restricted range in S.A.), White-plumed, Yellow-faced, White-naped, Noisy Miners, Spiny-cheeked and a single White-fronted. Searches further to the south of Bordertown towards Bangham and Frances drew a blank, probably as a result of the atrocious weather conditions (blowing a gale and raining). Colin and John also found 3 Fuscous in Telford Scrub C.P. just north of Mt Gambier on the 10th and a single Yellow-tufted was reported just south of Mt Gambier in mid May. Both Fuscous and Yellow-tufteds are rarely reported from S.A and these Swifties are to my knowledge the first in S.A. for 4 years. Your earlier posting about lack of Swifties and Honeyeaters in Vic to Birding-Aus prompted me to send this piece of the "jigsaw" to you.
 
Cheers
David Harper
 
 



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