Hi Birders,
There is no doubt that one Fairy Martin doesn't make summer, and possibly
one flock of Fairy Martins does not make a summer either.
Usually Fairy Martins return to the Newcastle-Sydney-Wollongong area about
the beginning of the second week of August and this has been the case for
many years. However if you are travelling out in western NSW in July you
often see Fairy Martins around bridges and culverts if there has been recent
rain.
It is interesting to note that in 2004, the first report of a flock of Fairy
Martins was on 21/7/05 at the Chullora Wetlands, although generally for the
rest of the population ie at the Dairy Swamp, Tuggerah and at Mason park
Concord, the first returning birds were not recorded until 16/8 & 19/8
respectively.
The Brush Cuckoo is another case in point. The usual date for their return
for our Region is either late September or October, but every few years one
is heard in August. On this matter one has to ask whether the bird was
actually seen, and or whether or not, an Oriole or a Satin Bowerbird was not
imitating the call. Yesterday I recorded an Oriole calling and wrote it into
my notebook, only to realise about 10 minutes later that there was a Satin
Bowerbird doing the Oriole's call at the same place. I saying this I am
aware of previous Brush Cuckoos for August, one was recorded in Myall Lakes
NP on 11/8/04.
Alan Morris
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