I do not subscribe to Birding-aus anymore but sometimes read the archives
and sometimes have postings forwarded to me from friends.
I am loathe to enter into discussions because of the responses I often
receive but having just read David Gearing's posting on the subject matter
above, I looked back and read the original. I have to agree totally with
David.
White Ibis are a major problem in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. They have
taken over the picnic areas/parks as well as ruining trees that they use for
roosting. Large branches often break from trees in my area under the weight
of these birds. Breeding sites are a real problem and the pollution alone
can cause other birds to vacate what should be perfect habitat.
Birders complain about Silver Gulls, Starlings, Common Mynas, etc but seem
to condone the spread of other species causing just as much of a problem.
The problem is man made. People leave rubbish lying around and it is a
bonanza for many species.
I have mentioned before that the small species have disappeared completely
from my neighbourhood. I always assumed that the clearing of habitat was
the cause even though there seemed to be just as many of the same flora
species around here as there was 20 years ago. A non-birding neighbour
pointed out something else the other day. He has lived in the same house
for over sixty years and mentioned that all the small birds (Fairy-wrens,
Small Honeyeaters, Thornbills, etc - he didn't give them these names but
described them) disappeared after the "Mountain Magpies" (Pied Currawongs)
started feeding on the scraps around the houses and settled in permanently
rather than altitude migrating each winter. I then realised that the
raptors that used to frequent the area disappeared with the small species.
No more Sparrow-hawks or Goshawks in this neighbourhood.
Just another example of how we human species have wrecked our environment?
Terry Pacey
Gold Coast
Queensland
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