G'day all
As Laurie Conole mentioned recently - there is no drought in sw Victoria.
Although rainfall is well below average there is plenty of green grass and water
in dams (if not the major storages like Rocklands Res).
I've been hoping for some interesting birds as a result of the drought
conditions elsewhere but so far nothing much has turned up. I've heard
White-browed/Masked Woodswallows recently but they have been very high and
nearly invisible. A workmate (and knowledgable birder) has just told me of a
large flock of several hundred woodswallows near Hotspur. They were apparently
mostly sitting on the road waiting for insects flights to happen. The ratio was
70% White-browed - 30% Masked.
Of the spring migrants we have the usual numbers of Brown Songlarks but no
Rufous Songlarks. Yesterday was the first time I've heard/seen a Rufous
Whistler this spring. No Stubble Quail calling in the paddocks yet. Pipits
seem to have returned in their usual numbers. No Trillers along the creek near
home. No Sacred Kingfishers yet. Pallid Cuckoos are more common than usual.
Horsefield's Bronze-Cuckoos seem to be frequent as usual. Shining
Bronze-Cuckoos are much more scarce than usual. The Cattle Egrets that visit in
winter are still here - normaly they leave in early October.
Some of the above reflects my lack of birding in recent weeks but most of these
species are things I expect to be seeing or hearing every day on my ride to work
at this time of year.
Nice to see things have calmed down a bit on Birding-Aus by the way. I hope it
stays that way.
Cheers
Steve
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Steve Clark
Hamilton, Victoria, 3300
http://members.datafast.net.au/clarkja/sw_birds.htm
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