G'Day Birding-Aus viewers
"One of the biggest wildlife surveys in the world has found that
waterbird
> numbers in a significant part of Australia are at their worst levels in
> more than 20 years."
>
Some of the birds that escaped the Australian census have come up here to New
Guinea. We have 12 Australian White Ibis newly arrived at our experimental
paddy rice plots and up to 30 Grey Teal on our inner campus lakes. There are
also 6 White-headed Shelduck and 84 Spotted Whistling Duck moving between our
sewage ponds and rice patch but they are more likely from wetter parts of this
island.
Early in the year we received our annual crop of immature Pied Herons most of
which have now gained adult plumage. As a breeding colony (or site) for these
herons has still not been located on New Guinea it is presumed these are birds
from Australia. We do not mind at all looking after your birds when you are
short of water - they add to the attractions on our campus and across the
southern part of the island.
The two hundred Pacific Black Duck and 60 Wandering Whistling Duck that occupy
our campus at the moment are always on this part of the island of New Guinea
but a few green Pygmy Geese have just returned from a breeding effort elsewhere.
I believe NG acts as a preserve for some Australian waterbirds during time of
severe drought for they return to Australia once you blokes put a bit of water
back in your lakes, rivers and dams.
Happy birding
Mike
Dr Mike Tarburton
Dean: School of Science and Technology
Pacific Adventist University
PMB, Boroko
Papua New Guinea
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