Hi birders
I have a long term survey going in a large privately owned grassland in
the west of Melbourne (Victoria) - targeting the nationally vulnerable
Striped Legless Lizard (or Many-lined Delma) _Delma impar_. The
grassland has large native sections, along with badly weed-infested,
degraded areas. Delma occurs in both - though more commonly in the
predominantly native grassland. I've been out there for the last 2 days
checking the lizards out - but noting a few interesting birds along the way.
Singing Bushlarks are relatively abundant there, and are nesting on at
least two of my study plots. Regionally rare species - perhaps more
common than we think if this farm is any indication. As Skylarks are
super-abundant too, it has been an excellent opportunity to watch them
both, and revisit how differently they behave and sound. They rarely
fly as high as the Skylarks, and so their smaller, more slender body
form is obvious. They often circle around just 8-10m above ground, with
fluttering shallow wing beats and body mostly horizontal - contrast with
Skylarks mostly 30-50m up, body somewhat oblique, obviously bulkier.
The bushlark's vocalisations are somewhat more jarring in tone than the
liquid notes of the Skylark. Blah ..... very different jizz altogether.
A few Zebra Finches occur wherever there are boxthorn bushes -
regionally uncommon species.
I didn't see any Southern Whitefaces this time, but have seen up to 20 -
another regionally uncommon species.
Stubble Quail Coturnix pectoralis
Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis
Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus
Brown Falcon Falco berigora
Nankeen Kestrel Falco cenchroides
Rock Dove Columba livia
Spotted Turtle-Dove Streptopelia chinensis
Galah Cacatua roseicapilla
Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus
Yellow-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa
Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata
White-plumed Honeyeater Lichenostomus penicillatus
White-fronted Chat Epthianura albifrons
Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris
Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca
Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Australian Raven Corvus coronoides
Little Raven Corvus mellori
Singing Bushlark Mirafra javanica
Skylark Alauda arvensis
Australian Pipit Anthus australis
House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata
European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris
European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
Brown Songlark Cincloramphus cruralis
Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis
Common Blackbird Turdus merula
Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
Common Myna Acridotheres tristis
House Mouse Mus musculus
Fox Vulpes vulpes
Brown Hare Lepus capensis
Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus
Spotted Grass Frog Limnodynastes tasmaniensis
Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar
Little Whip Snake Suta flagellum
--
=================================
Lawrie Conole
Senior Ecologist
Ornithology & Terrestrial Ecology
Ecology Australia Pty. Ltd.
Flora and Fauna Consultants
88B Station Street
FAIRFIELD VIC 3078 Australia
E-mail:
Internet: http://www.ecologyaustralia.com.au/
Ph: (03) 9489 4191; Mob: (0419) 588 993
Fax: (03) 9481 7679
ABN 83 006 757 142
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