Hi Birdsers,
Cas mentions the Grey Butcherbirds in the inner
Sydney suburb of Dulwhich Hill (24/3/04), and suggested that they had increased
there since the 1970s.
While Grey Butcherbirds are recorded in the inner
suburbs these days like Dulwhich Hill, Ashfield, Crodyon etc, when I was a boy
at Summer Hill 1942-1970, I never saw a Grey Butcherbird. Mind you in those days
there were few trees and little open space. Things changed with the appointment
of the Whitlam Government in 1972 which brought in a "Living Cities" programme
and gave funds to local government for inner urban areas to provide and create
more open space. Native Trees were planted in these newly formed parks and
gardens, the landscape changed and became more native bird friendly and this
trend has continued. Crested Pigeons, Pied Currawongs, Koels, Channel-billed
Cuckoos, Grey Butcherbirds, Noisy Miners, Red Wattlebirds, Spinebills and Superb
Fairy-wrens & Silvereyes all moved in! When i go back to my old stamping
ground I see more native birds now than I ever did before.
So,me things do change for the better.
Alan Morris
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