birding-aus

Ibis on the move

To:
Subject: Ibis on the move
From:
Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2003 11:01:14 +1000

Drove from Dubbo down the Upper Hunter Valley last Thursday and back up the valley (on a different route) on Saturday.

Conspicuous in the Upper Hunter were flocks (15 - 20 that I saw) of up to 500  Straw-necked Ibis all heading west.  This morning I'm told that over the weekend flocks of Str-n Ibis started moving along the Macquarie River and along the Talbragar (a tributary of the Macquarie).  These latter birds are obviously headed for the Macquarie Marshes (a major ibis breeding area).  One can only assume the Hunter birds were doing the same.  

There has been enough flow in the Macquarie to replenish the marshes but not enough for a flood.  How do the birds know this?  If they are in the marshes and we get more rain then they are ready to take advantage and breed.  If we don't get a flood then they at least have a food resource and can disperse again later.

I've said it before, this stuff is fascinating!

Cheers

David Geering
Regent Honeyeater Recovery Coordinator
NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service
P.O. Box 2111
Dubbo  NSW  2830
Ph: 02 6883 5335 or Freecall 1800 621 056
Fax: 02 6884 9382



This message is intended for the addressee named and may contain
confidential information.

If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it and notify the sender. Views expressed in this message may be those of the individual sender, and are not necessarily the views of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
  • Ibis on the move, David . Geering <=
Admin

The University of NSW School of Computer and Engineering takes no responsibility for the contents of this archive. It is purely a compilation of material sent by many people to the birding-aus mailing list. It has not been checked for accuracy nor its content verified in any way. If you wish to get material removed from the archive or have other queries about the archive e-mail Andrew Taylor at this address: andrewt@cse.unsw.EDU.AU