In the morning of Wednesday, 10/12, Darryn Costanzo of
Bayside's Bushland crew found a Little Bittern on the ground
on the "landside" at Ricketts Point, Beaumaris. This is
Coast Banksia woodland along an inland cliff face, separated
from the sea by a major road.
The bird was taken to a vets but unfortunately the bird soon
died, according to the vet
probably as result of a broken vertebra.
It is/was a breeding male with extensive deep pink patches
around the lower face. What a beautiful bird.
The Museum will be offered the corpse (and somehow I guess
they will want it).
Incidentally I found a dead beach-cast Painted Button-quail
at Ricketts Point on 26/11.
Michael Norris
PS This is the first Little Bittern recorded in Bayside. It
may be the last if Little Bittern (Ixobrychus
minutus dubius) is renamed, as in some lists, Black-backed
Bittern (I. novaezelandiae).
PPS The species is classed as 'Near Threatened' in Australia
(with about 5,000 mature birds left)and is listed through
the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act due to loss of wetlands.
PPPS With this Little Bittern and the Great Knot in
September, two Endangered species, according to the DSE
planning list, have been seen in the Ricketts Point area in
2003 together with one Critically Endangered species,
Grey-tailed Tattler.
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