Hi Edwin and others
on the topic of rainfall, we surveyed New England NP (near Dorrigo)
yesterday, and despite Dorrigo receiving 300mm two weeks ago, I have
never seen the rainforest so dry with humidity levels extremely low. So
much so, that where we have recorded 24 rufous scrub-birds a few years
ago, we recorded a poultry one yesterday. There were fires nearby at
Bowraville.
It has been a similar story in other areas, Barrington/Gloucester Tops
was extremely dry, Border Ranges was likewise. At present I am at
Cunninghams Gap and despite good rains here ~70-100mm a week or so ago,
there are fires nearby and it is extremey dry for forest of this type.
Peter
Edwin Vella wrote:
Hi Penny
I would imagine you had heaps of rain up your way recently. If so,it
would be nice to see the rainforests in a better state than the past 2
years.
I should try to head that way this summer.
Cheers!
Edwin
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of Penny
Drake-Brockman
Sent: Tuesday, 2 November 2004 11:52 PM
To:
Subject: [BIRDING-AUS] Avon wetlands at Gloucester
Dear Aussers
Took a walk this morning down to the Avon Wetlands on the east side of
Gloucester town, north of Newcastle and at the base of Barrington Tops
National Park, for those who don't know where it is.
The wetlands are back to normal, the flood waters have gone leaving
behind muddy traces on the tree trunks, flattened grass and heaps of
rubbish against wire fences indicating the height the water attained.
The Fairy Martins have gone - I guess their nests that were under the
road flood ways, were swept away, but I disturbed one Latham's Snipe so
was glad to see they are back. Heard the Tawny Grassbirds and lots of G
H Cisticolas, and the Dollarbirds swooping around the old red gums in
which they are breeding, along with far too many Starlings and Indian
Mynas.
Bazas have been seen on a property near Craven, south of Glos., and
we've found another two groups of Grey-crowned Babblers, one with 2
fledglings and one with nestlings, and yesterday, when carrying out one
of my quarterly surveys on a dairy property, six GCBs turned up in a
most degraded gulley that usually only has Noisy Miners, E Rosellas,
Pied Butcherbirds, Magpies, Kookaburras and ravens in it. They were
foraging in old forest gums standing isolated in a paddock. We usually
see them foraging in rough barked trees and where there is a lot of
fallen timber and debris on the ground. Here they were flying across a
grassy paddock from one isolated tree to the other, and foraging up and
down these big old battered trees. And we were worrying about their
safely crossing large open areas of cleared land, thinking they would
keep to roadside or fenceline vegetation of trees and shrubs and not
dare the wide open spaces.
Up at Copeland on the 25th October with a group visiting from Brisbane,
we heard Wompoo and Wonga fruit doves, saw a Pale Yellow Robin, many
Spectacled and Black-faced Monarchs, a Rufous Fantail displaying on the
path, and had an almost close encounter with 2 Noisy Pittas (one of the
party coughed just before one of the pittas came into view over the top
of a heap of stones, which sent it hurrying away in the opposite
direction so we never saw it - I guess they will be breeding here
shortly), Brush Turkeys and a Red-necked Wallaby obliged with close
views, and found an echidna crossing the road on the way to Bundook.
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--
________________________________________________
Peter A. Ekert
Director - Ekerlogic Consulting Services (ECS)
Committee - Australian Bird Study Association (ABSA)
Current Projects:-
* Review of the Status of Nesting Ospreys in NSW
* Rufous Scrub-bird Monitoring Program in North-east NSW
* Lower Hunter Estuary Rehabilitation Program (LHERP)
* Warragamba Special Area Fauna Surveys (Sydney Catchment)
* Woodland Birds of the Liverpool Plains Monitoring Program
* Dora Creek Wetlands Action Plan
4 Bowen St Wallsend NSW 2287
02 49500573 0410566104
www.ekerlogic.com.au
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